Muslim Students Bring the Holy Month to Campus
By Hamza Mohammed
Mar/Apr 25
For many colleges and universities, Ramadan can be the busiest time of the year, attracting both Muslim and non-Muslim students alike. Many Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) hold special events and programs to help support Muslim students and faculty during Ramadan, as well as inform non-Muslim students and faculty about the importance that Ramadan holds for Muslims around the world.
And the Muslim presence on college campuses throughout the United States is growing. One commentator, Amer Ahmed, noted, “On college campuses in the United States, Muslim Student Associations have more than doubled since 9/11, as now more than 400 local chapters exist.”
A 2019 Pew Research Center study revealed that 31% of Muslim Americans have a college degree, equating to roughly 1.25 million Muslims. And with so many Muslims seeking higher education opportunities, often far away from their homes, it can be difficult for Muslim students to find a sense of community, especially during important times during the Islamic year. Fortunately, many universities in the United States have established an MSA as part of the Muslim Student Association of the United States & Canada, established in 1963.
Today, across the U.S., over 25% of universities have an MSA or a similar organization with this number growing annually. Many MSAs were created with the goal of working towards inclusion on campus by organizing weekly educational and community-building events for students to attend.
Below are examples of some North American MSAs and their Ramadan activities.
Rutgers University at New Brunswick (RU-NB) MSA
The Rutgers University Muslim Student Association (RU-MSA) serves one of the largest Muslim student organizations in the country. With roughly 6,000 Muslim students on a 44,000-student campus, Muslims account for almost 15% of RU-NB’s student body.
One of their founders is Imam Zaid Shakir (formerly Ricky Daryl Mitchell), who co-founded Zaytuna College, the first accredited Islamic undergraduate university in the U.S. When Shakir attended Rutgers University as a graduate student, he led a student movement encouraging people to divest from corporations that contributed to Apartheid in South Africa
“This protest, held at Brower Commons, remains an iconic chapter in Rutgers’ history,” said Zakariya Insanally, a RU-NB engineering sophomore, who serves as RU-MSA outreach coordinator. The MSA continues to host events at the same Brower Commons where Shakir led this protest movement.
RU-MSA, which has grown steadily since its founding over 40 years ago, has seven specialty teams, all dedicated to encouraging important Islamic values such as charity, professional growth, and tazkiyah (purification of oneself). The MSA hosts two to three events every week, each averaging 100-150 Muslim and non-Muslim attendees.
During Ramadan 2024, RU-NB’s MSA partnered with several other organizations including the Muslim Public Relations Council, the Pakistani Student Association, and the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University to host iftars on the first three Thursdays of Ramadan, each serving over 400 students.
For Ramadan 2025, the RU-NB MSA hopes to continue their current Ramadan programs and projects. “Our vision for Ramadan 2025 builds upon our past successes,” stated Insanally. MSA hopes to partner with more organizations to host larger iftars that will include pre-iftar events featuring local scholars and community leaders to enhance the Ramadan experience. They also plan to launch a new fundraising campaign to help ensure the sustainability of their events in the future.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville MSA
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville Muslim Students Association (UTK MSA), was founded in the early 1970s by the Muslim Community of Knoxville. Today, it has over 200 members. Events are hosted year-round and are open to all students that attend the school. Ramadan is their busiest time of the year.
During the holy month, MSA hosts weekly halaqas (gatherings to study the Quran), daily Quran readings, sporting events, game nights, and lectures. Their most popular event during Ramadan is their annual fast-a-thon where non-Muslim students and faculty are invited to fast alongside Muslim students. At the end of the fast-a-thon day, UTK MSA hosts an iftar for all participants while also sharing some of the history behind the holy month and its attendant traditions.
“We try to create a welcoming environment where people can meet Muslims and learn more about their religion,” said Ashraf Dkhiri, a junior accounting major and UTK MSA board member.
For Ramadan 2025, the UTK MSA hopes to focus more on Quranic readings and halaqas. They will also be hosting their 24th fast-a-thon and are expecting more participants in the event as the MSA continues to grow in size.
The Ohio State University MSA
Since its founding 30 years ago, the Ohio State University Muslim Student Association (OSU MSA) has seen a steady growth and has become a safe place for one of the nation’s largest Muslim student bodies. The OSU MSA hosts a variety of social events throughout the year including multiple jummah (Friday) prayers options to allow students to find a time that works within their schedule. Nearly 500 people attend jummah prayers weekly across campus.
Like many university MSAs across the country, Ramadan is one of the busiest times for the OSU MSA. They host an iftar every night from Monday to Thursday during the holy month that feeds 200 students as well as a taraweeh (night) prayer every evening. They also host halaqas between Maghrib and Isha prayers. “[Students] take the time out to chill and socialize with each other, building brotherhood and sisterhood,” said junior Daanish Khan who serves as the MSA outreach chair.
The OSU MSA also collaborates with the university to host an annual fast-a-thon where they invite non-Muslim students and faculty to fast along with the students. Like the UTK MSA, at the end of the fast-a-thon, the OSU MSA hosts an iftar for all of the participants.
The OSU MSA hopes to collaborate with even more Muslim organizations across Columbus, Ohio for events during Ramadan 2025.
Texas A&M University MSA
The MSA at the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University In College Station works closely with their nearby local mosque. During Ramadan, the mosque partners with the students to host daily iftars for almost 300-400 people. Texas A&M students help to fundraise, cook, and clean up the iftars while other students lead Isha and taraweeh prayers there during the holy month. During Ramadan, MSA serves suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, every Friday.
“Our Ramadans are often the most active time for our MSA. It’s when we have the highest turnout and the most brotherhood/sisterhood throughout the school year,” said Hadi Tameez, a junior, and the men’s section social officer for the MSA.
The MSA also hosts an annual lock-in (Qiyam ul-Layl), where students spend the night praying, supplicating, and reading the Quran at the masjid. Besides religious activities, the participants take part in sports and video games as well. In addition, during Ramadan, halal dining halls at the A&M adjust their schedules to open earlier so that students fasting on campus can have access to meals for suhoor. The MSA also works with the local mosque to assist in hosting Eid Prayer and Festival. MSA members often serve on the planning committee to coordinate the event, and make up the largest group of volunteers for Eid as well.
For Ramadan 2025, the Texas A&M MSA hopes to be able to offer iftar every night for all students and locals in the area. They are also looking to expand their suhoor program, as well as the halal food options on campus. With a rapidly growing Muslim community surrounding the campus, A&M’s MSA is also looking to host larger Eid, prayer, and social events with more options for students and residents to enjoy.
Creating A Community
Each MSA chapter celebrates Ramadan on campus in a unique way. Whether through events like fast-a-thons, or hosting iftar and suhoor for students, college MSAs across the country work tirelessly every year to make sure that Muslim students never feel alone during Ramadan.
Hamza Mohammed attends Farragut High School in Tennessee. He is an avid reader and enjoys writing in his free time.