Lehigh Valley Muslim students share their faith during Ramadan

Cups of water and plates of dates served as table centerpieces as attendees of Moravian Academy’s iftar patiently waited until sundown to complete one of the first full days of fasting for this year’s Ramadan observation.

The student-led event Feb. 19 was one of many moments in which young Muslims across the Lehigh Valley are taking charge of their religious practice and sharing their traditions in their schools, and with the wider community.

The month of Ramadan is a chance to take a break from worldly things and focus on the spiritual, said Moravian Academy junior Asude Aslan, one of the organizers of the iftar.

“Food is really a habit in our days, so taking a break from that changes really everything in your day-to-day life,” Aslan said. “I think so — it’s just noticing everything around me in different ways.”

Younger siblings helped color posters as a full room of students, staff and visitors waited until 6 p.m. to break their fast with water and dates. After prayers, Aslan helped her fellow co-presidents of the Moravian Academy Muslim Student Association serve a halal meal of chicken, lamb, rice and salad.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink and intimacy from sunrise to sunset.

The fasting is a chance to learn how to control emotions and find balance in your life, Aslan said.

“I notice more about myself,” Aslan said.

The practice of turning toward spirituality is grounding, Aslan added.

“When I’m at my lowest points, there’s a God that I believe in and am known to,” Aslan said.

In addition to the iftar, Moravian Academy planned a chapel service in which Muslim students could share more about the meaning of Ramadan. Overall, Aslan said she wants others to understand that Islam is a religion that focuses on “spreading kindness.”

The Muslim Student Association at Moravian Academy has about 20 members, almost half of whom are non-Muslims who are interested in learning more about the faith, Aslan said.

At Parkland High School, the Muslim Student Association has grown to 150 members, and student leaders have focused on interfaith events to help build awareness.

“A lot of people tend to separate based off religion,” Parkland junior and MSA President Muhammad Ali said. “I feel that we’re all humanity. Everyone’s human. At the end of the day, we’ve all got to come together and just live together and get to know one another, right?”

Parkland senior Adam Mody said there are misconceptions about how Muslims observe Ramadan, noting that some people erroneously believe that brushing your teeth is banned for the 30-day observance.

“We all experience hunger during Ramadan,” Mody said, noting that keeping the fast helps him build shared feeling with Muslims across the world.

Ramadan is about more than just fasting, Ali said, calling it a “month of patience and perseverance” that helps Muslims reach a “better spiritual stance.”

Spreading the faith

Northampton Community College student Orhan Cicek is working to help other young Muslims grow closer to their faith, becoming a mentor for the eighth grade students at Enver Academy in Bethlehem.

The work is “coming from my heart,” Cicek said, emphasizing that religious education is a way to “upgrade our spiritualness” and keep students on the “true path.”

Enver Academy describes itself as a homeschool co-op, and the school is experimenting with boarding options as it expands, Cicek said, adding that he hopes the planned Ramadan events will offer students an “unforgettable” chance to expand their studies and network with religious leaders.

Local schools can do a lot to support their Muslim students, including offering halal food options and providing assignment extensions during Ramadan, Aslan said.

Even when prayer rooms are available, students sometimes need a nudge to feel comfortable requesting passes and figuring out how to fit their prayers into their school schedule, Aslan said.

“It is easy to get lost when you’re not in a Muslim community, and everybody around you is doing something else,” Aslan said.

The genuine curiosity and openness that Moravian Academy students and staff have shown to their Muslim community members has created a welcoming, understanding atmosphere, Aslan said.

Ali and Mody said Parkland High School has also created an environment that allows Muslim students to be open about their faith.

For example, Parkland’s prayer area in the library offers “more than enough room” for students who filter in during the day, Mody said. The district held a community iftar Thursday.

As Muslim students advance through Ramadan toward the closing Eid al-Fitr celebrations March 20, more schools are designating that festival as an official holiday.

Parkland has the feast day on its holiday calendar, and Moravian Academy will add it in 2028 (the 2027 date falls during the school’s spring break).

Moravians have always cared about interfaith dialogue, said Moravian Academy chaplain Jennifer Nichols, adding that the Christian observance of Lent and Jewish High Holy Days resemble the reflective focus of Ramadan and that the school has begun to recognize Hindu holidays as well.

“We’re welcoming to everybody,” Nichols said.