At FIU Ramadan dinner, Muslims and other faiths gather to share food, fellowship

Miami Herald

06-03-2025

Many were there to break their day of holy fasting. Others came to share a meal, catch up with friends, new and old, and most important, build connections across religious lines. The Wednesday night occasion was Florida International University's Ramadan dinner, an annual affair that drew 250 people of various faith backgrounds — Muslims, Jews, Catholics, among others .
The interfaith gathering was held in observance of Ramadan, the holiest month for believers of Islam. Muslims fast from sun up to sun down during the month then nourish themselves at nightly 'iftar' dinners. Though usually held at a mosque or home, the university's iftar (hosted with support from the Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies) allowed for non-Muslims — including FIU students and faculty — to join in on the tradition.
'We get to share in this one special time which is the breaking of the fast, our iftar dinner,' said Dr. Mohamed Ghumrawi, assistant director of the Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies at FIU. 'The way we fast is different, but in almost every faith there's some sort of fast tradition. For Muslims, it becomes this very joyous experience.'
After those observing Ramadan broke their fast with a date, some fruit and water, Ghumrawi led all attendees in a traditional Maghrib, or sunset, prayer. Then, dinner was served.
'I like to come here every year because I see all different faiths, nationalities ... it's a very special place to be,' said Khalid Mirza, president of UHI Community Care Clinic. 'It's very encouraging seeing other faiths get together and celebrating Ramadan, the most religious month for us as Muslims.'
Why do Muslims fast?
During her keynote address, Dr. Aisha Subhani turned heads by declaring 'We are overweight people.'
What Subhani, who is the vice president of Islamic school Zaytuna College, meant was that many people carry a lot of psychological weight in the form of the daily responsibilities. A busy schedule coupled with technology that allows us to constantly be available can weigh on people, she said.
'Life is supposed to be easier, but we're busier. We're measured by productivity,' she said. Fasting is a way to detox from the trivial and focus on the important things in life, she said.
'The nice thing about Ramadan is that it allows you to prioritize what's important ... to put those things that are important in front of you. God, family, community,' Subhani said. 'Everything else can wait.'
So why do Muslims get so excited about Ramadan? Subhani asked. It seems difficult, to those outside of the faith. Fasting can help discipline people, and bring them a 'heightened spiritual awareness.' But, it's also a holiday that unites the faithful.
'It's about community. It's about a gathering of people and hearts. It's about getting away from all of the distractions,' she said. 'It's about helping one another.'
At one table, two high school students from Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Coconut Grove, ate plates of halal chicken, Mediterranean rice and salad while chatting about their views on religion. Carolina Rhodes, 17, pointed out some commonalities between Catholicism and Islam.
'I never realized how many similarities there are. We have a season of fasting too, lent, that just started today,' Rhodes said, still bearing the black ash on her forehead from Ash Wednesday mass earlier that day.
'It's a season of repentance to celebrate the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert,' she said.
Andrea Lara, 17, described herself as 'culturally Catholic' but not spiritual. Still, she said she enjoys learning about other religions and how they influence people. She learned that night, for example, that Ramadan also has a component of charitable giving.
'It can just make you so much more understanding of people. It helps you understand yourself better,' Lara said. 'Recognizing similarities between people helps you feel connected and I feel like that prevents conflicts.'
The high schoolers didn't attend on their own. They were accompanied by their world of religion teacher, Paola Bernardini, who encourages — and requires to some extent — her students to experience a religious tradition outside of their own. She said the communal iftar dinner is one of many ways to bring what the students are learning in class to life.
'I think that the personal encounter helps to understand 'the other' better, than simply learning about it from books,' said Bernardini. 'Other faith traditions may seem very foreign and strange but when you start meeting people, the shared humanity and similarities come to the forefront.'
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.