preview

Studying Islam Through International Students ' Experiences With Food

Good Essays

While Baton Rouge, cannot be considered a large city, it is home to a well-sized state University. Considering the amenities that the school has access to and the ever-rising demand for fluent English in workforces around the globe, it is not surprising there is a large international student population. My research took place among the Omani students here. I chose Islam because I felt conducting fieldwork among a group that I had been acquainted with and had several connections with, would a good way to go about learning about a religion with which I was familiar on the most basic terms. I decided to study Islam through these international students’ experiences with food. I drew on my own past feelings and experiences when I had studied …show more content…

These dietary practices and attitudes affect even those who might not sure the same thoughts about food as someone. Even the very absence of it, fasting, has a huge impact on not only one’s physical but also mental state. In Islam, it is used as an oppurtunity to remind oneself of the benevolence of Allah with the prayer “Praise to Allah for feeding us, giving us to drink and making us Muslims.” (Raman 2014: 967). For Muslims, fasting is the fourth of the Five Pillars. It is recommended to develop self-control. During this month of Ramadan all adults are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset, except under special circumstances such as travelling, sickness, pregnancy, and the like. (Raman 2014: 970). Ramadan is also important for “Ramadan strengthens religious discipline and encourages believers to remember the great days when Allah sent the Quran to all people of the world through the Prophet Muhammad.( Novaković 2013:1992)
Although Islam is one of the youngest of the world’s major religions (the founder being born in 570 CE), it is already the second most popular religion in the world (second only to Christianity). With 1.2 billion Muslims across the globe, they are found to be the majority in the Middle East, parts of North and East Africa, China, South and Southeast Asia, South Eastern Europe with substantial communities in former colonizing countries like France. Islam is the fastest growing religion, already those who identify as Muslim count for

Get Access