On May 23, Ward Melville’s very own Muslim Students’ Association debuted their first annual Ramadan event in order to spread awareness to those who want to learn more about Ramadan.

With 75-100 attendees of the event, the potluck was the first event held by the new Muslim Students’ Association with Abdullah Nauman as the main organizer, and with the help of Shahzadi Adeena, Mariam Quraishi, Zermeen Khan, and Hassam Hassan.

A guest speaker, Dr. Hafiz ur-Rehman, an Islamic scholar from the Bay Shore Mosque, spoke about his first-hand experiences of Islamophobia, and the basic background of the Islamic holiday. Councilwoman Valerie Cartwright made a large appearance and spoke about the importance of unity within the community, and how Muslim-Americans are making steps to become more represented within government and society. She continued by acknowledging that Islamophobia is a large issue that is to be combated through peace and love.

The potluck-style dinner consisted of Halal and vegetarian dining options. The MSA also set up a prayer area in the cafeteria which was led by the Imam, or the religious leader from the Selden Mosque. This was the first time that Halal food, which is the Islamic dietary standard, was served at Ward Melville, as well as the first time that the Muslim prayer was administered in Ward Melville.

Finally, Abdullah Nauman launched his social media campaign called #ComeTogether in order to raise awareness for Islam, and end the hatred which spans far beyond the Three Village community. During this segment of the event, Abdullah showed the trailer for the documentary, which is to be released in the upcoming month. “There exists a stigma surrounding the Muslim community, even within our student body. We held this event to launch a movement called ComeTogether, in order to combat misconception and bring people of different backgrounds together,” says Abdullah.

Ward Melville is taking new strides, in order to accompany the shrinking student body, by allowing clubs, such as the Muslim Students’ Association to create change within the community. In the words of Councilwoman Valerie Cartwright, “Shift the narrative. I stand with you.”