On 12/13 May, Eid al Fitr will take place, concluding the month of Ramadan. For Islamic students, this fasting month was different from other years because, due to corona, life took place mainly from home. I spoke to two ESSB students and IQRA's chairman to find out more about their experiences during this Ramadan, what it is like to fast and to study online.
Iftar and studying online
For Asmae, a first-year student of Pedagogical Sciences, this Ramadan has been a unique experience. In previous years, it was customary for her to be in her family's company during the breaking of the fast, the iftar. This year, Asmae lives in her own room, which creates a different experience: "For me, it is the first time that I experience Ramadan alone, on my own. Fortunately, I met two other Muslim girls through my studies. Together, we found a nice alternative way of breaking the fast together via Zoom". During these moments, Asmae shares experiences with her fellow students, which gives her the feeling she is not alone.
This applies to Sinem as well, a Public Administration master's student living in the Netherlands for a year. This Ramadan, she has felt a strong connection with the Turkish community: "I could always turn to someone, so I did not have to spend the iftar alone."
Fasting and studying at home
Studying at home causes both students to struggle to concentrate fully on their studies because of fasting. Asmae notices that she ends up in a vicious circle: she resolves to finish something after the iftar, but at that moment, she is so full that she needs time to abstain. In addition, Sinem notes that fasting was easier for her when life was mainly outside the home: "taking online classes is difficult when I'm feeling a bit groggy. While studying at university, it was easier to get your mind off things".
Fortunately, this 'corona' Ramadan expressly did not hinder their experience of this month. On the contrary, Asmae explains, it made her think about her faith more consciously, and she found inner peace. That is why she also sees the positive aspects of studying at home, such as the reduced travel time, which allowed her to relax more during Ramadan.
Connecting effect of meetings
The experiences of both students show that Ramadan has a deeper meaning than fasting between sunrise and sunset. Sinem says that during Ramadan, she thinks about habits and takes the time to reflect on her life.
For Asmae, the student association IQRA proved to be of great value. Before Ramadan started, she regularly felt isolated because of the lack of social contact due to her home education. But during the past month, she has built a close relationship with fellow students by attending the meetings of IQRA. The chairman of IQRA, Yassir, says that IQRA also tries to put the intentions of Ramadan into action: "we feel each other's challenges very well because of the strong bond through faith and then we also try to offer a helping hand to our fellow students, so actually not one but two hands." To this end, IQRA has held several meetings in the past month, such as an event on mental health from an Islamic perspective, an online Ramadan bingo, or Tea Talks.
The Eid al Fitr is near, but Asmae and Sinem have experienced that time flies. They indicate that, despite corona and online education, the joy and pleasure during Ramadan could have lasted a bit longer.
Article by Yannick Drijfhout, student master Governance of Migration and Diversity