The Muslim Student Association (MSA) will hold its annual Fast-A-Thon on Thursday to raise money and awareness for famine in the eastern horn of Africa.
Mostafa Amini, president of the MSA, said the fast will follow traditional Islamic practices.
“The practice of fasting, within the Islamic religion, consists of abstaining from eating and drinking, including water, from sunrise to sunset,” he said.
Amini said fasting isn’t supposed to be easy.
“It allows the UNM community to feel and not only sympathize, but rather empathize with our fellow humans that are experiencing poverty, famine and other sub-human conditions,” he said.
This fast is a nationwide event, said Danya Mustafa, secretary for the MSA.
“Usually it is during the month of Ramadan,” she said. “Since Ramadan was during the summer this year, we decided to have one anyway just as a fundraiser and to show solidarity with the people who are affected by the famine in the eastern horn of Africa.”
Amini said the fast isn’t just about not eating or drinking.
“The day consists of constant remembrance of God, contemplation of life’s true meaning, and overcoming physical pain in order to taste spiritual fulfillment,” he said.
At sundown, catered Mediterranean food will be served to mark the end of the fast.
Last year’s fast raised roughly $1,200 for flood relief in Pakistan, This year Mustafa says they hope to raise even more money and more awareness to help end world hunger.
“Just because now they don’t talk about it that much in the media, doesn’t mean people aren’t starving to death anymore,” Mustafa said. “We need to keep focus and attention on people who need help, not just because it’s a news story, but because as human beings we all need to take care of each other.”
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Mustafa said the event is not exclusive to Muslim students.
“This fundraiser is a human issue, meaning we want people of all different faiths, cultural backgrounds, different political ideologies, etc. to come help and support the people of the eastern horn of Africa,” she said. “As fellow humans we should bear the responsibility in making sure that we all help each other out, and this fundraiser is just another opportunity for doing so.”
