The holy month of Ramadan starts the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar following the crescent moon sighting. Ramadan is celebrated across the globe by all Muslims. Prior Lake High School’s Muslim students will unite and start preparing for the Holy month; the first week of March.

Muslims fast for 30 days. The day starts with the morning prayer, called fajr, before sunrise, and ends after sunset. Every day during the month, Muslims are expected to remember that this world is temporary and seek forgiveness from Allah. During the night, Muslims pray Taraweeh, which is only done during Ramadan.

All Muslims follow the same rulings that have been passed down for decades, but every individual has their own way of expressing their gratitude during Ramadan.

“Personally, Ramadan is a month when you’re supposed to observe your faith and be more thankful by praying and being closer to Allah,” said sophomore Najma Jamal. “I don’t really prepare myself for fasting since I’ve been doing this since 2021. I can just make it through day one even though it’s hard.”

To properly function throughout the day, Muslims rise before dawn. Najma said, “I do, and I am tired, but I have to wake up because I don’t want to feel hungry.”

Suhoor is a pre-dawn meal done before Fajr by Muslims who intend to fast. It is a very important aspect and essential part of Islamic fasting to receive nutrition and energy to sustain the fast throughout the day.

“In terms of physical state, I feel a lot more energized because I am doing more good and getting rid of all the negativity,” said senior Ayan Abdi. “It’s more beneficial to the body because The Prophet would always break his fast with dates and water.”

While fasting, Muslims donate to charity, engage in good deeds, and make supplications to Allah through dhikr and dua which are forms of prayer. These deeds allow for a Ramadan full of joy and the release of past hardships from the soul.

“It feels amazing,” said Senior Hamsa Janaw.

“It feels like a princess in a fairy tale movie that never came true. It feels like a dream. It feels really fun and enjoyable. It feels like my family is also enjoying the suffering with me, but also we just finished so it’s all really fun,” Janaw said.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated after a month of prayer, fasting, and self-reflection. In the early days of Islam, it was first established by Prophet Muhammad to celebrate a victory in the Battle of Badr. It marks the end of the holy month and is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to show gratitude and unity.

Prior Lake High School has three split lunches through the fourth hour. The majority of students, Muslim students included, find a table and eat lunch with their friends. During the month of Ramadan, Muslim students are stuck in the lunchroom with their peers watching others eat lunch which could lead to temptation or remind them of hunger.

“I go to the library, I watch the other kids eat, I sit alone, and I do my homework,” Janaw said. It’s sometimes hard to find a place to socialize during lunch. “Usually if you’re in the library while fasting, the librarians will either say you’re being too loud or making a disturbance. I think it would be better if we had another place where we could talk normally. I do feel like there should be better accommodations for us.”