The annual Iftar event organized by Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) from across Fairfax County is a highly anticipated event once Ramadan, an Islamic month in which Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, begins.

This year, Fairfax High School is hosting the iftar on March 21, allowing young Muslims from across the county to come together and create bonds during this holy month.

“As an outreach director, it is my role to ensure that, as an MSA, we maximize the amount of people that attend events like this iftar,” outreach director Bushra Ehikhamenor said. “I try to make the most out of such events since they are effective in connecting with different people.”

The McLean MSA makes use of its social platforms to ensure that details about the event reaches its members.

“[The MSA is] also posting the information on the Instagram page as well as on the Schoology page since it’s where our members receive the most information from,” Ehikhamenor said.

The previous year’s iftar resulted in a large turnout. It included a diverse display of food as well as enjoyable activities to enhance the sense of the Muslim community.

“We had many students from across the county come and there was a huge variety of food,” senior Minahil Ishaq said. “The henna stations and the photo booth were a great addition to the night.”

The importance of these iftars lies in their ability to allow Muslims throughout the FCPS community to come together and connect while practicing their religion.

“These iftars are important because not only do they help create bonds but also help the MSA members to interact with other FCPS Muslim students who are also fasting during the month [of Ramadan],” Ehikhamenor said.