As the United States prepares for another war against an Islamic nation, the holiest period in the Muslim calendar is upon us.

In an attempt to ease cultural tensions created by recent events and share the experience of Ramadan, the Muslim Student Association is inviting both Muslim and non-Muslim members of the community to attend the second and third of its iftaars, or Ramadan dinners, from 5-7 tonight in Hale Hall and at the same time Nov. 20 at Royer Student Activity Center.

“Everyone is encouraged to come,” said Samer Bazerbashi, vice president of MSA. “People from other faiths and ethnicities will be able to see a side of Islam they’re not accustomed to.”

The Islamic month of Ramadan is believed by Muslims to be the period in which the first verses of the Quaran were passed down from heaven to the prophet Muhammad. This year, Ramadan begins in early November when the new crescent moon appears and ends in December after it has gone through its lunar cycle.

Each evening’s iftaar breaks the fasting period Muslims observe during the daylight hours of Ramadan. This daily exercise in self-denial is meant to refocus efforts toward faith and charity, and away from material concerns.

“Fasting makes you feel as though you’re transcending the ordinary life,” said Mohammad Abdelazeez, a senior in political science who plans to attend the MSA iftaars. “It fills you up spiritually, so that after Ramadan, you can face the hardships of the coming year.”

In addition to food and water, Muslims observing Ramadan refrain from smoking and sexual relations during the fast. When these behavioral restrictions are lifted at the day’s end, it is common for Muslims to visit family and friends.

For college students far from home, the month of Ramadan is often a difficult experience. MSA can provide spiritual and familial solace for those individuals through its public iftaars, Bazerbashi said.

“When you don’t have your family with you during those times, you can lose sight of what’s important,” Bazerbashi said. “Our events can rejuvenate your strength as a Muslim.”

Tonight’s iftaar will feature a “cook-off” in which a panel comprised of OSU faculty will judge home-cooked dishes prepared by the men in attendance against those brought in by women. Each year, MSA selects a different Muslim cuisine on which to base the supper. Additional food cooked in the Indian and Pakistani tradition will be catered in for the event.

Afterwards, as part of its At’lkaf initiative, MSA will carpool those in attendance to the Omar Ibn El-Khattab Mosque to participate in a special Ramadan prayer called the Taraweeh, or “night prayer.”

The organization has also convinced local Muslim businesses to sponsor non-Muslim students who fast the day of Nov. 20 before its third and final iftaar. For each person who shares in this Muslim ritual, a donation will be made by MSA on behalf of those businesses to soup kitchens and food pantries in the Columbus area.

It’s all in keeping with Ramadan’s themes of charity and goodwill, Bazerbashi said.

In light of the negative stereotypes some continue to hold towards Muslims after the Sept. 11 attacks, as well as more recent criticisms of the Islamic faith by cultural commentators like the Rev. Jerry Falwell, Islamic leaders are relying on those themes to broker a new tolerance between Muslims and those of different faiths.

“Ramadan is a religious time for Muslims, but it’s also a time to reach out to others,” said Imam Hany Saqr, an Islamic cleric at the Omar El-Khattab Mosque. “As we become closer to Allah, we become closer to other people.”

Bazerbashi said he has watched that happen a little at a time through MSA’s culturally inclusive iftaars and worshiping services.

“If people come, they will realize that Muslims are not something terrible,” Bazerbashi said. “There may be a certain image of us portrayed by the media, but the people at these events are the real thing, and we’re trying hard to focus on what can bring us together.”