Religious Resources

Religious Advisors 

The YES and FLEX programs work with multiple consultants to provide religious or spiritual advising for students on program. While the religious advisors are trained to specifically work with Muslim students, participants of all faiths are welcome to use these services. 

We have two religious advisors working with the YES and FLEX program. They both have worked with the YES and FLEX program for several years. If a student is experiencing religious-related challenges during their time in the U.S., the advisors are available to speak with them over the phone and provide assistance in working through these challenges. Please click here to read our two religious advisors’ bio.  

If a student would like to schedule a call with a religious advisor, please make a request via their Support Coordinator or the YES and FLEX Specialist at AFS-USA. In the request, please include: 

The websites Islamicfinder.com and muslimpro.com are great resources to find local prayer times. 

Ramadan Resources: 

What is Ramadan? 

The Muslim fast of Ramadan (rahm-ah-dahn) falls in the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar and is the month during which Muslims observe fasting (sawm in Arabic), self-restraint, devotion, and spiritual awareness. It was during this month that the angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to the Prophet Mohammed who had retreated to a cave where he was meditating and fasting. It is also a time during which the rich are reminded to help those in need. 

Following is a bit of information on the traditions of Ramadan to help the Muslim exchange student celebrate and experience this month. Please note that even if the student is not very religious, Ramadan is generally a month during which the student will experience homesickness as it is generally a very active social time in their home country: families get together often, friends visit one another, the streets are filled with activity in the evenings. 

Eid al-Fitr concludes the end of Ramadan. This is one of the two main festivals of Islam. The ceremony of Eid al Fitr starts early in the morning with a worship service at the mosque. After prayer, a short sermon is delivered and then people greet each other. To celebrate the occasion, Muslims feast and visit friends and family. On Eid al-Fitr, your Muslim exchange student may also express wishes to attend prayer services at the mosque. 

Religious and Dietary Practices During Ramadan 

During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from the time the first light of dawn appears in the sky until the sun sets. They read the Koran and attend many spiritual discussions at the mosque in the evenings after the taraweeh prayer, which is the last formal prayer of the evening. Working hours are often reduced during Ramadan to allow more time for prayers and to enable people to sleep late. 

Although Muslims follow similar rituals during the month of Ramadan – such as breaking the fast when the muezzin calls for prayer at sundown, attending the taraweeh prayer, and sharing the sohour meal before the sun comes up – specific traditions in food, clothing, and celebration make Ramadan take on various incarnations in different countries. A few glimpses of Ramadan traditions in Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines, India and Saudi Arabia show us some of these regional particularities. 

Resources