On Tuesday, April 12, in the Grand Foyer of PNWU’s Butler-Haney Hall, PNWU’s Muslim Medical Student Association (MMSA) hosted a Ramadan iftar event for the first time on PNWU’s campus.
“The iftar is part of a ‘fast with us’ event that we created to invite students from all backgrounds to try a day of fasting with us,” explained Student Doctor Lekaa Elhajjmoussa, who founded the PNWU Muslim Medical Student Association (MMSA) during her first year of medical school. “From my understanding, this had never been done at our university before.”
Student Doctor Elhajjmoussa connected with us to discuss Ramadan, PNWU’s first iftar event, PNWU’s Muslim Medical Student Association, and more.
Paul Bubluski, Assistant Director of Content: I’ll admit that I know very little about Ramadan, and first heard the term “iftar” upon learning of your event. Can you tell me about Ramadan in your own words? What is it, who participates, why, etc.?
PNWU Student Doctor Lekaa Elhajjmoussa, OMS II: Ramadan is one of the most important months on the Islamic calendar (Hijri Calendar). This year, Ramadan began on the evening of Friday, April 1, and will end on the evening of May 1. The calendar follows the lunar cycle and due to this, the start of Ramadan backs up ten days every year.
Muslims all around the world observe this month by fasting from dawn to sunset. This fast consists of abstaining from food and water during the fasting period. Aside from the physical fast, Muslims will practice an internal fast of the soul characterized by being more patient with all those around them, avoiding ill speech, striving to be the most upright in character, and more.
The belief grounding this fast is that by avoiding what has made lawful throughout the year (food and drink) and striving for internal clarity and purification, each practitioner is attempting to live their lives as ethically sound and morally grounded as possible.
Can you tell me more about the iftar and this first-ever on-campus iftar event?
Breaking of the fast, also known as “iftar,” is done when the sun sets each evening in Ramadan. It is very sacred and special for Muslims and is often done in the presence of family, friends, and/or community congregations.
Students and faculty were invited for the on-campus “Fast With Us” event, which was sponsored by a new national American Muslim Medical Student Association (AMMSA) organization and food will be provided by a local restaurant called Gyro House.
This first Iftar was created to bring together both Muslim medical students who are observing Ramadan and other PNWU students and faculty that might want to experience what a day of fasting looks like. It aimed to foster dialogue regarding compassion for students that are fasting during this month and to offer others a glimpse into the Muslim community.
What are the “rules” (for lack of a better term) of the fast? What do participants do, exactly?
The guidelines for the fast (for this event) are as follows: Abstaining from food and water during the fasting period which is from sunup to sundown. It is important to note that in addition to the physical fast, there is an internal fasting of the soul that is encouraged as well.
We wanted to emphasize that there are additional specific requirements of the fast for Muslims that are fasting, but we wanted to make the rules of this fast for the event as simple as possible for our classmates that may not be Muslim and are choosing to spend the day fasting with us. Additionally, in the Muslim faith, those exempt from the fast include children, the elderly, individuals during their menstrual cycles, those who have physical or mental medical impairments, pregnant or nursing mothers, and travelers. The fast is not intended to put significant strain on those participating, which is why the exemptions exist.
What will be served at the iftar, and why?
The iftar dinner will be comprised of food from the Gyro House, which offers halal options and is owned by a local Muslim individual here in Yakima.
This event was possible thanks to the efforts of the relatively newly formed Muslim Medical Student Association (MMSA). Can you tell me about that group and your role in it?
I founded the PNWU Muslim Medical Student Association during my first year of medical school after noticing a lack of formal representation for the Muslim student body at PNWU, despite there being Muslim students.
Community is a massive part of the Islamic faith and tradition and is vital for many individuals who identify as Muslim. The aim of the MMSA is to create such a space where students can connect with one another, have access to Muslim resources in the Yakima area, and establish itself as a liaison between the university faculty, university administration, and the Muslim student body.
How did you go about forming the MMSA?
After finding a faculty advisor and drafting a constitution, I reached out to some Muslim students in my class who ended up being the first set of officers for this organization. We all then worked hard together to finalize our organization and begin planning events.
I served as the founding President, Student Dr. Turan Ketene served as the founding Vice President, Student Dr. Fadila Nurullah served as the founding External Affairs Chair, and Student Dr. Shukri Salad served as the founding Internal Affairs Chair/Treasurer.
Creating this organization with my colleagues has been one of the highlights of my medical school journey and an incredibly humbling experience. It was an honor to work with my peers who were passionate about creating a safe space on campus and were equally dedicated to their communities.
What sort of opportunities has the MMSA offered so far?
This semester we held a cultural competency talk hosted by two Muslim physicians from Southern California, regarding the Muslim patient. The talk focused on certain beliefs, customs, and traditions Muslim patients may adhere to and how they can influence decisions regarding medical care, and how physicians can address them for the betterment of their patients. Last semester we had a first-year Anesthesiology resident in Seattle who was a PNWU alumnus give a talk about what PNWU students can do to prepare for third and fourth years. Additionally, we have created two iftar events for Ramadan.
This year we also initiated a merge with a brand new National American Muslim Medical Student Association (AMMSA).
Are any more MMSA events like this in the works?
There is a second Iftar, sponsored by the Gyro House, being held on April 29, where student ticket entry is a donation item for local shelters that aid the homeless and all items will be given to a local Yakima shelter.