Celebrating Iftar at Seton Hall Law

On March 18, 2024, Seton Hall Law School’s Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA) hosted its second annual Community Iftar. An Iftar is a meal eaten to break fast at sunset during Ramadan following Maghrib, the sunset prayer. This year Ramadan takes place from March 11, 2024, until April 9, 2024, and is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar. During this period, Muslims are encouraged to practice personal restraint, empathizing with those who are less fortunate, and to appreciate what one has.

This year’s Community Iftar was welcomed by MLSA’s President, Gineen Abuali ’24, who introduced Professor Emeritus Bernard Freamon to provide an explanation of Quranic verses on Ramadan. Attendees observed the Athan (call to prayer) recited by MLSA’s Outreach Coordinator, Mafaaz Tazneem ’24, so that the Maghreb can begin to break fast, which was led by Abbas Chaudhry ’25.

Seton Hall Law faculty, staff, and students in attendance heard from MLSA’s Secretary, Najma Hassan ’25, about the meaning of Ramadan and how to support Muslim students during this period. Special guests in attendance included the Honorable Hany Mawla ’99, the first Arab-American Muslim appointed to New Jersey Superior Court, and Ms. Najdah Abdul-Haqq, from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), as well as members of Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s Muslim Law Student Association.

Gineen Abuali ’24 was proud to see the growth of MLSA since her first year of law school after it went through a dormant period. She shared, “We are very proud to see the Seton Hall Law community come together for MLSA’s 2024 Community Iftar. This shows the growth of MLSA and the successful effort MLSA members have made to build robust community ties on campus and in the broader legal field. We are so appreciative of everyone who came to break fast with us and learn a little bit about our religion and culture, and we hope to host this event again next year on an even larger scale.” She added, “We are grateful for the support of the Dean’s Office, Student Services, Professor Lori Borgen, and Professor Fareed Hayat for helping us make this happen. I look forward to attending next year’s Community Iftar as an alum!” 

To learn more about MLSA and their upcoming events, visit their Instagram (@mlsa.shulaw). 

Categories: Diversity