Learn more about observing Ramadan at Duke.
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan is one of the most sacred months in the Islamic calendar. Muslims observe Ramadan as a month of fasting, reflection, and prayer. Many Muslims will fast from food & drink (including water) from dawn until some time around sunset. Nearly 400 of the Muslims at Duke participate in the CML’s Ramadan programming.
This Ramadan comes at a particularly difficult time for the Muslim community. In recent months, millions of Muslims worldwide have been displaced, persecuted, and/or starved. Our students are watching homelands be destroyed. In this moment of crisis, we have witnessed our community at Duke come together and demonstrate the utmost resilience and steadfastness. We are grateful to have the resources to observe this holy month together.
Check out some program highlights:
Suhoor/Sehri Program
The CML has worked with Duke Dining to create a suhoor/sehri program.
- Freshmen: Fill out tinyurl.com/suhoorbag by 3pm everyday to get a custom suhoor bag using your breakfast equivalency. Pick up from Trinity Café from 5pm until closing!
- Upperclassmen: Order a suhoor bag from Cafe (in WU). Available on mobile order!
- Graduate/Professional Students: Buy suhoor bags from Cafe. Want a coupon? Register on DukeGroups Mon-Thurs. and pick up a coupon at the CML’s iftar. Coupons will partially subsidize the suhoor bag.
- Everyone: Every Wednesday, join us for suhoor/sehri at the CML. Enjoy Brother Joshua’s special pancakes and eggs and pray Fajr together. Roundtrip Duke Van transportation provided for students from East & Swift to the CML.
Pre-Iftar Halaqa (talk)
Every Monday – Thursday, the CML will host a scholar, researcher, professor, or community leader for a pre-iftar discussion. Check out our full calendar of guests:
Iftar
The CML has worked with Duke Dining to provide iftar for almost 200 Monday-Thursday. Special zabiha halal meals from different cuisines is offered each night.
Thank you to our iftar sponsors:
Congregational Prayer
After the pre-iftar halaqa, we pray Maghrib together. Every evening, we’ll pray Isha’a and Taraweeh at the Center for Muslim Life. We’ve also worked with Religious Life and other campus partners during the year to develop a Prayer and Meditation Campus map.
Ramadan Communications Guide
When does Ramadan begin?
Some Muslims calculate Ramadan ahead of time while others wait until the new moon is sighted the night before. The CML follows the opinion of the Fiqh Council of North America and the Triangle Imams Council (TIC) on calculating when Ramadan will begin and end. View TIC’s announcement. As such, we will observe the first night of Ramadan on the evening of March 10. The first day of fasting will be March 11.
How should I talk about the start of Ramadan?
Since the exact start date of Ramadan can vary within the Muslim community, refrain from using decisive language like “Ramadan starts today” or “muslims are celebrating Ramadan today.” Instead, use inclusive language like, “Many Muslims will begin fasting today” or “We wish the Muslim community Ramadan Mubarak!”
How do you wish someone a blessed Ramadan?
“Ramadan Mubarak!” or “Happy Ramadan!” are most commonly used. Mubarak means “blessed” in the Arabic language.
When does Ramadan end?
Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 nights. The CML follows the opinion of the Fiqh Council of North America and the Triangle Imams Council (TIC) on calculating when Ramadan will begin and end. View TIC’s announcement. We will observe the last day of fasting on Tuesday, April 9. Eid Al-Fitr will be on Wednesday, April 10.
What is Eid Al-Fitr?
Eid Al-Fitr is a celebratory holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Celebrations include a congregational prayer in the morning followed by festivities. Eid Al-Firt is one of the most important holidays observed by the nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide. To wish someone a blessed Eid, say “Eid Mubarak” or “Happy Eid!”
How can I support Muslim students during Ramadan?
Be compassionate. Approach questions with humble curiosity. Provide accommodations for those fasting. For example, provide to-go boxes at programs with food and consider academic accommodations.
The CML regularly provides educational training opportunities for the Duke community. Since Fall 2024, we have facilitated our workshops both to the general Duke faculty and staff population as well as to specific departments like the Fuqua School of Business, Nicholas School for the Environment, Trinity and Pratt academic deans, and Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, & Sustainability. Across all five trainings, over 100 faculty and staff have completed the workshop. When asked to provide their biggest takeaway from the training, one participant wrote, “There is much more diversity within the Muslim community than I realized” and another explained, “It was very helpful understanding the roots of the American Muslim community. There were things I had never heard before. Also looking at the similarities of Abrahamic roots amongst Islam and other religions was enlightening.” Of the training’s structure and facilitation, one participant wrote, “Really enjoyed the presentation and how the topic is so much more than can be fit in 2 hours so the provided resources are wonderful. Y’all were so concise and clear as presenters while also engaging and it made the time go by quick!”
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About the Center for Muslim Life at Duke
The Center for Muslim Life (CML) is the home for all things Muslim life on Duke’s campus. Guided by a mission to help bridge the faith and values of Muslim students with their Duke education, the CML creates an environment for Muslims to flourish by enriching understandings of Islam through meaningful engagement with students, faculty, staff and alumni. We are committed to enriching the lives of Muslim students and the whole campus through events and activities that cater to the spiritual, social, and intellectual needs of Duke students. Whether you were born or raised Muslim, interested in or new to Islam, or know nothing at all, we are a home away from home for all who want to engage with and be a part of the Muslim community at Duke.
The Center for Muslim Life’s programs and resources are made possible through the support of students, parents, alumni, and friends. Become a donor to the Center for Muslim Life today.