The Conquest for Rewards: Ramadan at SUMSA (2017)

Ramadan at SUMSA is something every uni student has to experience. There’s something exceptional about it that one can’t put a finger on. Whether it’s the twinkle in the eye of the volunteers who prepare the daily iftars in hopes of receiving overlapping rewards or the empowering feeling one experiences when standing beside their brothers/sisters in prayer. Stepping out from the classrooms to be welcomed by a red and orange sky only to be later greeted by companions in the musalla has never felt so tranquil.

Yet 2017 has been a time of comebacks and surprises.

This Ramadan, SUMSA brought back one of its flagship events, the Annual Iftar. Notable for the food, Quran recitations and the huge crowds that come to create the buzzing vibe – the annual iftar brought everyone on cloud nine. Though these community events aspire to give space for the Muslim community on campus to strengthen bonds, they also give a platform for spreading dawah.

Samarah Fletcher, a participant of this years fast-a-thon said, “I’ve always admired the strength of Muslims to go an entire month of fasting, so I wanted to show my friends some support and see what it was like to stand in their shoes.”

At first thoughts, fasting is considered to be a physical experience – an individual effort of abstaining from food and drink. But while our participants experienced Islam from the inside, they sensed a spiritual journey of connecting with God, self-control and internal reflection. It’s clear that many of our non-Muslim guests were braving foreign waters by entering Islamic traditions. But what they found was something warm and sweet.

The successful evening ended with light drops of rain. And by Allah, mercy has never felt this physical or tangible. If there’s ever a time to strengthen ties amongst the Muslims on campus and encourage dialogue with the wider community, this is it.