“Before school started, you had the luxury of being able to sleep in and sometimes cut the day in half,” he said. “If you’re up for an 8 a.m. or a 10:20 a.m. (class), you’re up for most of the day and when classes start you’re going to be fasting most of those 15 hours. It makes it a challenge to make sure you go to all of your classes.”

Sadiq Jafri, a physiology senior and president for the Muslim Students’ Association, said Ramadan is a time for Muslims to reflect and work on the individual.

“In the Qur’an the way that Ramadan is described is fasting is prescribed for you,” Jafri said. “It’s prescribed for you as those before you because you are sick. You’re supposed to use the time to work on yourself, self-build and become a better person.”

Hassan Khalil, advisor for the Muslim Students’ Association and professor of electrical and computer engineering, said Eid is a celebration for completing the month of fasting.

“The main part of it is a gathering where the whole Muslim community of Lansing will be going together,” he said. “We’ll say prayers and exchange greetings. After that people will be doing all kinds of socializing, visiting each other and there will be all kinds of lunch and dinner invitations.”

Jafri said the Muslim Students’ Association will be holding an Eid barbeque next Thursday.

“The good thing about the Muslim Students’ Association is that we’re more than just a student group,” he said. “We try to provide a community for Muslim students.”

Timing of Ramadan depends entirely on the lunar Islamic calendar, Khalil said.

“Since the beginning and end of the month in the lunar calendar changes between 29 and 30 days instead of 30 and 31 days like the solar calendar, the lunar year is about 10 or 11 days shorter than a solar year,” Khalil said. “The time of Ramadan keeps shifting relative to our regular calendar. As you move into summer, Ramadan has a much longer fasting period and hot weather, when you’d really like to drink water and can’t.”

Hakmeh said this month has been particularly difficult since Ramadan fell on a time of year with long hours of sunlight.

“My parents are Muslims and they’ve been fasting every year, so for them they’re used to it,” he said. “This year for me and everyone my age is the most challenging because it’s the longest days we’ve ever had to fast. When I see people my age that are struggling with it and going to classes it helps and is encouraging because you can relate to each other.”