Ramadan at the Mount!

Jasmin Sorrell

As Ramadan approaches, senior Track & Field athlete Nesrine Charouel prepares for her third year observing the holy month of Ramadan at the Mount.

She does this while balancing both academics and athletics, alongside other personal and social commitments.  

Ramadan is a period of fasting, prayer, charity and reflection for Muslims that began on Feb. 17 and will end on March 19 in 2026. 

As Charouel has gotten older, she has prioritized growing in her relationship with Allah. Her intentions during this sacred time are to improve and strengthen her character and to learn more self-control within herself.  

She wants to improve at reading and understanding the Quran every day.

The Quran is important to her because it focuses on her relationship with God, solidarity and peace. This Ramadan, she plans to read Surah-Al-Baqarah, the second and longest, but one of the most important, chapters of the Quran. 

Charouel believes that fasting is a reminder of God’s consciousness, to always have him in the back of our mind while making decisions. She says that it is easy for us to live comfortably using what God has provided to us and taking advantage of it. This includes food, water, a bed or money. “However, during this time we truly remember the good he has given to us and we give him thanks for it all,” she adds.  

There are five pillars of Islam, which become even more vital and central during Ramadan. The first pillar is Shahada, is the profession of faith. The second pillar is called Salah, which is the five ritual prayers in a day.

Zakat is the third pillar, the mandatory act of donating to those in need. The next pillar, Sawm, is fasting from food, drink and any other pleasures. The fifth pillar is Hajj, the journey to the holy city of Mecca, if you are physically and financially able.  

Charouel primarily does her fast on easier days, like her recovery days or sprint days, due to low eating and drinking of water. Her day starts by waking up before sunrise to drink a bottle of water and to eat something before her fast begins, and then she goes back to sleep.

When she finally wakes up for the day, before doing anything she performs the Wudu. Wudu is an Islamic ritual performed by Muslims to achieve physical and spiritual purification, like washing of the hands before daily prayers and frequently before reading the Quran.  

Then, she does the first of five prayers that day called the Fajr before going to class or work. After that she does the Wudu again in her room before doing her second prayer of the day, the Dhuhr. Following that she goes to practice, where she unfortunately misses the next two prayers called the Asr and Maghrib, but she makes them up when her practice concludes.

She prepares her meal at home before completing her final prayer of the day, the Isha, and breaks her fast when sunset arrives. To make sure she is on track with her prayers and the time of sunrise and sunset, she uses an app called Athkar.  

Charouel faces challenges during this time. As an athlete, there is a feeling of guilt that comes from her not being able to do the full thirty days like other Muslims. Although she is Muslim, she did not grow up participating in Ramadan, and with this being her third time partaking in it she is still working on her discipline with not being able to eat and drink. Another challenge is trying to maintain the muscle she has now and not losing too much during this time.  

Regardless of the challenges, Ramadan is a special time for Charouel. It is a time when all her Muslim friends from home come together to support one another through fasting, holding each other accountable while strengthening their shared faith and finding their own personal journeys within Islam.

At the same time, her friends at school who practice different religions also show their support by waiting to eat dinner with her, asking questions about her beliefs and offering words of affirmation which makes her feel acknowledged and appreciated. 

When it comes to the Mount, she wishes there was more direct support from the school during Ramadan. She understands that the Mount is a Catholic university, so she does not expect frequent emails or formal announcements. However, she believes that there could still be small gestures of acknowledgment.

While she recognizes that the school shows support in other ways and feels confident that she could seek help if needed, she notes that some universities host Iftar potlucks or events where students gather and learn more about different religious traditions.

Charouel hopes that in the future, the Mount will continue to recognize and support the diverse religions represented on campus by offering more inclusive opportunities during important observances. When Ramadan ends, Charouel strives to continue to be the person she was while fasting.