N.C. State students have the opportunity to participate in one day of fasting for Ramadan, with the Muslim Student Association.   To participate in the day of fasting, students must abstain from all food and drinks from 5:14 a.m. until 7:47 p.m.  The Muslim Student Association will be having a meeting from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. so participants can break the fast together with Middle Eastern food.   Ramadan, a month long Muslim holiday, started on August 11 this year.  Ramadan is meant to be a time of self-reflection for Muslims.  It begins in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; also the month in which the Quran was created.  Muslims use this holiday to better themselves and get closer to the lord.       “Ramadan is a tremendously amazing and important time of the year for Muslims. It is a time of internal reflection and personal growth,” Mohammad Moussa, president of the Muslim Student Association, said.    Fasting is the most well known component of Ramadan.  Participants do not eat or drink while the sun is up for the entire month.  Fasting is meant to teach patience, spirituality, and humility.   “Fasting teaches patience and perseverance, and Ramadan as a whole is a platform for a spiritual recharge,” Moussa said.   This year, the Muslim Student Association is using Ramadan to educate the student body.  Festivities at Tuesday’s breaking of the fast include food, entertainment, and a discussion about Ramadan.   “During this day, students of all faiths and religions are encouraged to fast, and they are then invited to break their fasts with the MSA,” Moussa said.   Last fall, the Fast-A-Thon had over 200 students attend.  Participants will be charged five dollars to attend.  All of proceeds will be donated to the relief fund for flood victims in Pakistan.   “Participating in Fast-A-Thon gives non-Muslim students some more insight as to what Ramadan is about, and what is gained from fasting,” Moussa said.   The Muslim Student Association also holds regular meetings every Thursday during Ramadan and dinners every Tuesday evening.  Food is provided for students to break fast together.   The Muslim Student Association is also involved in the MSA Triangle Iftar.  This event is a collaboration with Muslim Student Associations from UNC, NCSU, and Duke.  The event, on September 3 at 7:00 p.m., will be raising money for a scholarship fund.   “It is a dinner where members of the local community are invited to break their fasts and help raise funds for a particular cause,” Moussa said.   All of the events put on by the Muslim Student Association are open to the student body.  The Fast-A-Thon in particular is meant to educate those who are not practicing Muslims.     “Non-Muslim students would gain a lot of knowledge about Islam by attending these events, and that would bridge gaps as well as eliminate misconceptions,” Moussa said.