Ramadan is a different holiday in Eugene than it is in an Islamic country such as Malaysia, where graduate student Hasnah Toran is originally from.
In Malaysia, restaurants close during the day and there are traditional food markets during the month of Ramadan, Toran said.
“Ramadan in Eugene is so different than celebrating in an Islamic country,” said Toran, a College of Education doctoral student. “Fasting in Eugene really makes me miss my family in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the night is so alive. There’s lights everywhere. People put lights on their homes, some electric – like Christmas lights – and others are traditional lights made out of bamboo.”
Ramadan, a month-long Muslim holiday that began Wednesday at sundown, is a time of blessing, charity and reflection for Muslims around the world. It’s a time for cleansing the body and soul and getting closer to Allah, the Arabic word for God, by praying, fasting and giving to others.
“There’s a distinct calmness during Ramadan,” said College of Education master’s graduate student Nargas Oskui. “There’s a feeling of warmth that you don’t experience all year.”
Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint and patience by not smoking, eating, drinking, having sex or fighting, especially during daylight hours.
“It’s a time to recharge your battery and connect with the community,” Toran said.
“During this time, there’s a great feeling of solidarity,” Oskui said. “We’re all fasting; we all have the same common goal. We empathize with each other and set aside all material thinking.”
Iftar is a meal that breaks the daily fast in the evening during Ramadan and is often shared with others. Iftar can be difficult for students to balance with their academic schedules. “Sometimes I had to break my fast in class,” Toran said. “It made me so sad when I had to break my fast with a cereal bar or a snack in class. I would think, ‘I don’t want to have Iftar in class.’”
During Ramadan, students here have to balance their spiritual lives and academics.
“Over here, you go to a mosque to do your prayers and then rush to class,” Toran said.
Oskui and Toran said that during Ramadan they feel blessed to participate in fasting, charity and prayer.
“Fasting is just a part of the holiday that gives us an opportunity to count our blessings,” Oskui said. “We think about those who are hungry all the time and don’t have food to eat. You take away a lot more from the holiday than just fasting.”
The average age for Muslims to begin fasting is about nine or 10 years old, they said.
“It’s only difficult when you first start fasting,” Toran said. “After a couple of years, you anticipate fasting and it isn’t difficult. It’s beautiful to take the time to think more about your family, parents, spouse and community and get together for Iftar.”
Oskui, whose family comes from Iran and has visited the country eight times, said she is eager to celebrate Ramadan in the Middle East.
“I’ve never been to an Islamic country for Ramadan,” she said. “There’s a mosque on every corner. My grandparents live right across the street from a mosque, and it’s so much nicer to go to the mosque for prayer. Sometimes I do them at home, and it’s not the same.”

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