Here at Green Level, we have a ton of clubs for students to join. One of them is the Muslim Student Association. The Muslim Student Association is a student-run club that meets biweekly on B Thursdays. They meet to talk about what they can do next to introduce other students to the Muslim culture. They want to spread discussions on the problems Muslims face in today’s era as well. 

With the special holiday of Ramadan coming up, MSA is putting up decorations and encouraging people to understand what the holiday is all about. The club wants to make Ramadan a known holiday and to encourage people to fast with them. According to senior Eiman Elkoumy, who is the head of publicity, “A lot of people have misconceptions about what Ramadan is all about.” And since not many people at Green Level know what Ramadan is really about, the Muslim Student Association wants to let people know and spread awareness. The Muslim Student Association also meets weekly to talk about the discrimination that they face. When speaking with junior Aminah Ahmed, she said, “…especially us as Muslim students and discriminations that students face in high school.”

Now, a little background about the holiday, Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This month is special to people all around the world. Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayers, reflection, and community around you. 

When interviewing junior Daneen Khan, who is the secretary of the Muslim Student Association, she told us about what her family and many others actually do during Ramadan: “During Ramadan, all Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Our morning meal is called suhoor, or sehri, and our evening meal is called iftar.” Khan says that the month is more than just fasting; they also spend a lot of time reading the Quran, which is their holy book. Khan says, “We also continue to pray often and there is also an extra prayer called Taraweeh which some people pray in the evening.” 

If you see the decorations around the school, take a while to appreciate the hard work that has gone into it. Additionally, there is a book display with books by Muslim authors in the library that you can check out!