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Religious Activities

Feast and Festivals are a part of everyday human life.  More than likely the origins of these feast and festivals can be traced back to the societies past religious practices, rituals, or to commemorate an event.

For Muslims, all festivals (and you can't have a festival without a feast) mark the end of an act of worship, and in fact, the festivals themselves are acts of worship, as Muslims intertwine the remembrance of God in every activity.  So these days of festivals are not just days for eating and having fun, but they are also days of praising God, remembering his attributes and being extremely thankful to Him for His bounties and blessings.

Islam is based on five pillars. These pillars or acts of worship are obligatory on every Muslim.  Two of these acts of worship are Ramadan and Hajj.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, the most sacred month in the Muslim calendar. This is the month when Muslims fast (do not eat) from sunrise to sunset and take part in extra prayers and worship.

Iftars



Iftars are scheduled by Muslim Life at Duke for every day of Ramadan, on and off campus. This ensures that no one who wishes to have iftar with the community is prevented to do so. Taraweeh prayers are also scheduled afterwards, whereas Qur’an discussion takes place before dinner. Iftars on campus are sponsored by the University’s Dining Services and consists of a variety of meals catered from Baba Ghannouj Bistro, Dale’s Indian Cuisine, Mediterranean Grill, Kabobi, and Mediterranean Deli. Iftars off campus are organized by generous members of the Triangle Muslim community.

Hajj

Hajj (Arabic: حج‎ Ḥaǧǧ) literally means, "to set out for a place". For a Muslim, that place is the Holy City of Mecca. Two to three million Muslims for travel to Mecca every year to perform this ritual each year. It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world.

Eid

The Arabic word "Eid" refers to something habitual, that returns and is repeated, thus stands literally for a recurrent event. Islam Has two major holidays: Eid Al-Fitrah and Eid Al-Adha.

Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr‎), the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic sacred month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "to break fast"; and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period, after the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan, on the first day of Shawwal.

Islamic Awareness Month

Islamic Awareness Month

Each year, Muslim Life at Duke and the Muslim Students Association host Islamic Awareness Month events across campus. Usually held in March, past events have include movie screenings, speakers, campus prayers services, and more. Please return here or visit the Muslim Student Association website at www.dukemsa.org as we approach March.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Imam Abdullah Antepli via email.

Jummah

‎بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
bismi-llāhi ar-raḥmāni ar-raḥīmi

Jummah (Arabic: جمعة‎) (also known as Friday prayer) is a congregational prayer (salaat) that Muslims hold every Friday around noontime. It is mentioned in the Qur'an as:

"O you who believe! when the call is made for prayer on Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trading; that is better for you, if you know. And when the prayer is ended, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah's bounty, and remember Allah much, that ye may be successful." (Qur'an 62: 9-10)

Muslim Religious Calendar

Contact Muslim Life for calendar information.

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