Tajorbati: New Perspectives on Ramadan

Ramadan takes place when much of the NYU Abu Dhabi community is away for the summer, so the Office of Student Life organized a series of events, including a day of fasting, to "create an opportunity for NYUAD to enjoy Ramadan and understand more about it," said Sanaa Amro, student life specialist.

Throughout the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until dusk;This encourages Muslims, who refrain from food and drink, to focus on prayers and the recitation of the Holy Qur'an.

When asked what they were most thankful for, most participants said friends and family, health and opportunities. Many kept a journal of their fasting experience, documenting the day's highs and lows, and offered to share them with the NYUAD community.

William Young (Class of '18) said he was “happy to be joining in a meaningful experience" while Kelly Murphy (Class of '18) recounted the paradox of being part of a common cause, but feeling alone: “I felt connected to the other participants of Tajorbati, akin to the feeling of brothers in battle. At the same time, it was a very solitary experience.”

The hardest part of my day was not how hungry I was at one given point, but the thought of how much hungrier I would be later on in the day.

Alex Heald

Tajorbati Journals

Ramadan decorations and lanterns.