Waking up before sunrise, sleeping for a few hours, rushing to class, then sleeping for a few more hours, breaking fast at sunset, praying at the local mosque, and staying up late to do homework—this is the cycle so many Muslim students find themselves in during the month of Ramadan.
For 30 days Muslims all around the world fast from sunrise to sunset in an act of worship. Abstaining from eating or drinking anything is to allow reflection on those less fortunate and gratitude for the blessings of life. It’s also a time when families reunite. More than often, calendars are booked with iftar parties every weekend and there is a special prayer, taraweeh, prayed every night at mosques everywhere.
For Muslim college students, this can be a tricky time, balancing spiritual endeavors with busy schedules and other academic responsibilities.
Imaan Khaki, a third-year cellular molecular biology major and president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), finds comfort in the universality of Ramadan.
“Knowing that Muslims around the world are united in their effort to become closer to God is very calming and encouraging overall and reminds me of the loving community I’m blessed to be a part of,” Khaki said.
When it comes to balancing school life with Ramadan, Khaki said that she works ahead of time to schedule her classes in the afternoons and changes her study schedule to after breaking her fast so she can study with energy.
Hawa Sankareh is a second-year biology major from Gambia. While Ramadan is a reminder that family back home is celebrating traditions she grew up with, Sankareh has created her own community in Seattle through MSA and other avenues.
“That was really helpful for me because having a Muslim community and having Muslim friends even outside of MSA, because I was lucky that in my first year, my roommate was Muslim. We were able to do a lot together like waking up for suhoor and there was an understanding which not everyone gets the opportunity to have a Muslim roommate,” Sankareh said.
When navigating chaotic school schedules paired with packed Ramadan activities, Sankareh acknowledged the harm a negative mindset can do. Ramadan is a month of spiritual growth, tranquility and peaceful times.Even with school, it can still be that. Focusing on the sleep you’re going to lose and how hungry you’ll be during class makes the experience of Ramadan harder than it needs to be.
“If you’re going into Ramadan and you’re telling yourself ‘oh, I have to fast, I’m going to be hungry,’ you’re kind of making a list of all the things that you don’t appreciate. I think going into the month and seeing the good instead of the negative and seeing it as, ‘okay, we’re fasting, but this is discipline,’” Sankareh shared.
For Muslim students, Ramadan is about more than just abstaining from food and drink—it’s a time of spiritual reflection, self-discipline and strengthening one’s connection to faith and community. To attain the full potential of their growth for the month, they are challenged to overcome the surface-level obstacles of sleep and food.
Sankareh reflected on how Ramadan is a time of growth that should extend beyond the month.
“This is a time where you can change those habits and you get to build that discipline and you come out of the month with habits that you didn’t go into with. You come out a better person and a better version of yourself. Having discipline will help you in the long run because these are responsibilities you have to yourself outside of Ramadan as well,” Sankareh said.
Bayan Farag is a Seattle U alumna and former member of the MSA board. When asked to reflect on Ramadan at Seattle U, Farag shared that the community at the university made Ramadan even more special. MSA hosts iftar gatherings on campus during the month were especially noteworthy.
“There was something truly profound about the community coming together, breaking bread as the sunset, and sharing in the spirit of Ramadan,” Farag said. “Whether it was the quiet moments of gratitude during prayer or the lively discussions that followed, these iftars reminded me of the beauty of community and the power of coming together during sacred times.”
These memories of community and growth of self are what surpassed the hunger and exhaustion of the month as iftar gatherings symbolize the bigger picture of Ramadan; for Muslims to overcome day-to-day struggles and build a deeper sense of empathy and gratitude.
“The iftars were a reminder that even in the busiest of times, they’re always space for connection, kindness, and celebration,” Farag shared.
Ramadan is more than just a test of endurance—it is a time of reflection, discipline and unity. Through shared meals, prayers, and the strength of community, Muslim students find a balance between faith and academics, carrying the lessons of the month far beyond its 30 days.
