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More than 200 students and community members gathered at Mountain View High School on Wednesday evening to share iftar, the meal that marks the end of a day of fasting in the Islamic faith, and celebrate the traditions of Ramadan.
The March 19 event was organized by Mountain View High’s Muslim Student Association, an organization that hosts Friday prayers as well as meetings for non-Muslim students to learn about Islamic culture. Now in its second year as a student organization, the MSA leadership expanded its efforts with Mountain View High’s first-ever youth iftar, inviting students, teachers, staff and neighbors to celebrate. Those in attendance included Principal Kip Glazer and Superintendent Eric Volta.
Naiel Chaudry, a sophomore at Mountain View High and MSA president, helped organize the event to highlight Muslim representation in the Bay Area. San Francisco 49ers football player Malik Mustapha, Comedian Sammy Obeid, and MMA fighter Amber Leibrock headlined the sold-out event, with students flocking to get photos with them after the program.
Chaudry said hearing the speakers’ stories about their identity and being proud of themselves “really brought it together and helped our community … feel that we’re not alone.”
As dusk settled, students knelt in prayer before breaking their fast with food donated by Ali and Ayesha Khan, the husband-and-wife duo behind restaurants Chicken G’s and Lados. The spread featured their signature “zinger burgers” — crispy, spice-kissed chicken sandwiches carefully perfected over years, a taste of Pakistan in the Bay Area. A layered-cake dessert was donated by Lá Jawab, the baking business of Chaudry and his sister Punhal.
Students and community members participate in the sunset Maghrib prayer before sitting down to eat together. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Students and community members fill their plates with food donated by Chicken G’s and La Jawab. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Students chat and break their fast together. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Students and community members gathered on Mountain View High School’s quad to break their fast together. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
Maryam Tahir, a student at Mission Early College High School, said she enjoyed being part of a larger event celebrating iIftar together, and noted the unity of the event.
“It’s a whole community and you feel like you belong,” she said.
Chaudry and co-emcee Noor Khatib, a sophomore at American High School in Fremont, told the crowd that Ramadan, the holiest month of the year, is a time of fasting, reflection and discipline. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims abstain from food to deepen their faith and empathize with the less fortunate. The month ends with the celebration of Eid.
“It’s a month of giving, charity and just feeling like we’re all one,” Chaudry said.
Khatib said Ramadan is her favorite time of the year. She enjoys slowing down, taking time to pray, thinking about the future, and eating with her family at night.
Huda Erscheid, 17, a junior at Mountain View High, said that Ramadan facilitates spiritual and personal growth.
“It’s an important time to be with yourself and just take time to get away from all the gossip and bad things,” she said. “I feel more hopeful and faithful during this time.”
For Rabiah Shumail, 16, a student at Los Alto High School, the youth iftar highlighted the strength of Mountain View High’s Muslim community. Her school doesn’t have an MSA, and she said she’s now considering transferring.
“I really appreciated that they opened this up to people outside of their school,” she said. “I felt like I could really see that there was more than just a small Muslim community. There’s actually so many people here, and they’re really into their faith.”
Sara Faraz, 16, a junior at Mission Early College High School, said she was struck by the teaching staff’s support of the iftar event.
“Back in my old public schools that I went to, they had an MSA, but it was really tiny, and we weren’t able to do big events like this because we didn’t have the resources,” Faraz said. “It was really nice to see that they were able to get actual speakers and they had this put-together event. It turned out really nice.”
Staff Writer Zoe Morgan contributed to this article.
Great event!