The Arcadia Muslim Ummah (AMU) hosted a campuswide Iftar, or an evening meal that marks the end of the daily fast of Ramadan, on Feb. 27 in the Grey Towers Castle Rose and Mirror Rooms. The Center for Antiracist Scholarship, Advocacy, and Action supported the event, which was open to all, through an Emerging Scholars microgrant.

AMU welcomed Asiyah Jones, advocacy projects director for the Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), as a guest speaker, followed by remarks from AMU President Hajr Washington ’26. After praying the Maghrib prayer, they enjoyed dinner and ended the night with a game of Kahoot.

“Ramadan is one of the holiest and most spiritually significant times of the year for Muslims, and opening this tradition to the broader Arcadia community creates both awareness and connection. It allows Muslim students to see their faith practices represented, while also inviting others to learn and share in a meaningful cultural and religious experience,” Washington explained. “We wanted the event to reflect both the spiritual and communal aspects of Iftar, so attendees can experience not only the meal, but also the meaning behind it.”

“Creating spaces like this on a college campus is important because universities should be environments where students from all backgrounds feel welcome and supported,” added Istibrak Chikh ’27, social media coordinator for AMU. “These events not only provide Muslim students with a sense of community, but they also give others the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and build understanding.”

For AMU co-founder and Vice President Asha Keita ’28, hosting the event offered a moment to reflect on observing Ramadan while navigating college life.

“Observing Ramadan while balancing academics and campus life has honestly been challenging at times,” said Keita. “Ramadan is a month centered on spiritual growth, reflection, and strengthening one’s connection to faith, and juggling that with academic responsibilities and stress can make it difficult to fully be present in that spiritual space. At the same time, it has taught me a lot about discipline, intentionality, and learning how to prioritize both my deen [way of life] and my responsibilities as a student.”

AMU aims to foster connection and a sense of belonging at Arcadia by welcoming and educating all students, both Muslim and non-Muslim.

“It makes me so excited to see my faith being shown in different parts of my life,” said AMU Secretary Yasmeen Salem ’28. “Growing up, I’ve always been in Islamic schools surrounded by my religion, so it’s exciting to see my religion being presented in my college life and coming to events that I can share with others that share the same faith and others that don’t.” 

The gathering encouraged discussion, learning, and shared understanding.

“I believe this event contributes to interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural understanding by bringing people together around something as universal as sharing a meal,” said Chikh. “It opens the door to conversations, breaks stereotypes, and allows students to connect on a human level beyond differences.”

“On a campus that already welcomes diversity, an event like this adds another layer to create a community that sees differences as something to celebrate and appreciate rather than avoid,” added Salem.