The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
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Webbies celebrate Ramadan with the breaking of the fast

Sydney Wuu and Isa Flores
May 16, 2019
Isa Flores (’21)
Cheyaan Jamal (‘21) leads an open conversation about Ramadan.

Ramadan is a pillar of the Islamic faith. On the evening of May 10th, 37 students gathered in Hooper Student Center to celebrate the ending of Ramadan with the traditional iftar, also known as the breaking of the fast.

Cheyaan Jamal (‘21) organized the event with the help of some Webb parents, alumni, family friends, and Library Assistant Melissa Mani. After the attendees settled into their seats, Cheyaan elaborated on the history of Ramadan and its significance in the Islamic culture.

Cheyaan said, “At Webb, I’ve noticed that we haven’t really had many celebrations for Muslim holidays or things related to Islam. I decided that since this month is Ramadan and such a significant time in our culture, we should probably do something to create awareness about it.”

Ramadan is a month-long custom that is observed annually to commemorate the holy month in which the book of worship, the Quran, was revealed. In order to devote time to spiritual introspection, Muslims around the globe typically fast from sunrise to sunset. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of reflection, praying, and giving back to the community to develop stronger relationships with God.

After Cheyaan concluded her opening remarks, Rahmi Mowjood (‘90), a Webb alum and trustee, opened the iftar ceremony with a call to the sunset prayer.

Rahmi said, “I don’t know if Webb has ever had a breaking of the fast on campus, at least not when I was a student, so it’s really great to be able to see so many students that have an interest. Webb has always been very supportive in expressing and fostering an environment where people can share their culture and their faith, so to be a part of the Ramadan celebration now feels great.”

On-campus events like this breaking of the fast bring together students, alumni, parents, and faculty and help raise cultural awareness about different faiths. This Ramadan celebration ran hand-in-hand with the culture point program at Webb and was one of the last opportunities of the quarter for students to fulfill their requirement.

Melissa Mani said, “For me, my favorite part about this event is how it widens perspective. Seeing the support here and how everyone here is coming to learn warms my heart, honestly. It’s important for us to know each other in a time when we don’t much about each other, and these kinds of events open those doors for people.”

Laura Li (‘22), an event participant, said, “Coming to this event has really made me think about all of my Muslim friends in Saudi Arabia. I greatly admire their strength and willpower to fast. Not only does it bring them closer to God, but it also reminds them of the less fortunate who suffer, so Ramadan Mubarak to all those who celebrate!”

Alum and attendee Namath Hussain (‘97) said, “My favorite part of Ramadan is the family togetherness. We have a lot of feasts where we get together, see family that we haven’t seen in a while, and it’s a good time to remember everything we should be really thankful for.”

This cultural event has helped shine a light upon the Muslim community at Webb. The crescent moon and star along with many other religion symbols that are illuminated on the dove at the front of Webb’s non-denominational chapel remind students of the many different religions celebrated on campus.

As seen this past weekend, the Webb community is making great strides towards showcasing the diverse values, faiths, and traditions of its students and faculty.

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Isa Flores ('21)
Attendees line up along the table of food to begin the feast.
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About the Contributors
Sydney Wuu
Sydney Wuu, Editor-in-Chief
Imagine being Editor-in-Chief for the Webb Canyon Chronicle, VWS all-school president, co-captain of the varsity tennis and water polo teams, and a big-time koala lover! Sydney Wuu (‘20), a senior boarding student from Pasadena, California, is all of these descriptions at once. You can catch Sydney listening to Khalid, watching Disney movies, or hanging out with her friends eating green tea mochi. Born on July 1st, Sydney portrays many of the characteristics of a Cancer: creative, loyal, and adventurous. Sydney employs these skills in her favorite humanities classes such as Advanced Studies Human Migration or Advanced Studies Cold War Era. Her goal this year is to broaden the horizons of the WCC with different forms of media, such as YouTube, Spotify playlists, and infographics.
Isa Flores
Isa Flores, Staff Writer
Isa Flores (‘21), an Upland native and crime/detective thriller aficionado, is a new addition to the Webb Canyon Chronicle staff. She is a book-lover and enjoys photography. In a true journalistic fashion, Isa describes herself as being that wide-eyed kid who always wanted to save the world by exposing the truth. In her free time, she enjoys listening to Indie music. Through journalism, Isa looks to focus on writing creative pieces by expressing her ideas through both written and photographical form.