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Interfaith Iftar Ramadan 2024 - find information about this year's event on March 4 below!
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A Reflection from the University Chaplaincy
Dear Tufts community,
As this coming weekend begins, so does the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting, reflection, and community. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims refrain from food and drink—not as an act of deprivation, but as an opportunity to refocus on what truly nourishes the soul. While this would typically be considered a hardship, many people look forward to this month more than any other time of year because it is a period for people to come together, find solace in each other’s company, and seek what is truly meaningful when the empty calories of doom-scrolling and binge-watching are cut from the spiritual diet.
This year, Ramadan coincides with the Christian period of Lent, also a period of fasting and spiritual observance that highlights the value of reflection for spiritual practice. Both observances feature a universal truth: in a world of excess, where consumption—whether of food, information, or entertainment—is constant, there is wisdom in intentional, life-giving restraint. Limiting what we take in creates space for reflection, allowing us to discern what truly sustains us.
Ramadan is a reminder of this overreliance on the materiality of the world for our sustenance. Of course, food and water are necessary to live, but once you limit yourself and open the hours of the day to reflection and introspective thought, you find that there may be all kinds of baggage you carry that doesn’t add to your life, but simply creates burdens. The most important lesson that I learn from Ramadan every year is the importance of recognizing what is good for me, and returning to it anew. For many who are unable to participate in fasting for health or other reasons, they help prepare meals for those who are fasting, give charity, and do acts of kindness. There are many ways to participate in the Holy Month for everyone.
I wish everyone a Happy Ramadan and hope you are able to enjoy an enriching, fulfilling, and nutritious diet as we forge our way through gloomy weather ahead to a beautiful springtime.
Warmly,
Khan Shairani
Muslim Chaplain
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| Upcoming Signature Programs
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Leading with Love: Learning from Histories and Imagining Futures with Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson and Rev. Dr. Patrick B. Reyes
Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Goddard Chapel
The University Chaplaincy looks forward to welcoming two innovators in spiritual leadership, Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson and Rev. Dr. Patrick Reyes, our Russell Lecturers for 2025. Russell Lecture is the oldest endowed lectureship at Tufts, and each year we bring a speaker (or two!) to offer a spiritual perspective on this historical moment. Coming to Tufts from Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City, Dr. Jordan-Simpson and Dr. Reyes have distinguished themselves as public intellectuals, working at the intersection of community organizing and research.
Please plan to attend on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., in Goddard Chapel. The event recording will be available soon after March 12. You can email the University Chaplaincy with any questions or accessibility needs and register below.
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Wendell Phillips Award Speaker Auditions
Monday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m., Goddard Chapel
Join us to hear from our four 2025 Wendell Phillips Speaker finalists: Alison Cedarbaum, Ayomide Oloyede, Krystal Mutebi, and Nikhil Vootkur. The Wendell Phillips Award was established in 1896; the award is given annually to a senior who demonstrates both marked ability as a speaker and a high sense of public responsibility. Selected by the Committee on Student Life, the winner is the one graduating senior invited to offer a speech at the Baccalaureate Ceremony, which takes place during Commencement Weekend. The four finalists will give their respective speeches at the Audition, and all are welcome to attend. A reception will follow.
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Interfaith Ambassador Information Session and Dinner
Wednesday, March 5, 6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., Mayer Campus Center Room 203
Have you attended an event hosted by the Interfaith Ambassador Team and want to learn more about how to become a part of this student leadership team? Are you a curious and creative person who is interested in interfaith community and programming for our Tufts community? Then come and hear from current Ambassadors about the work that they do and how you can bring your passions and ideas to this work! All current undergraduate first-years, sophomores, and juniors are invited for dinner and discussion. All interested students may apply for the position via Handshake between March 5 and March 23. Interviews will take place the week of March 24, and offers will be made the following week. Please register for dinner and contact University Chaplain Elyse Nelson Winger for more information.
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Religious and Philosophical Events and Gatherings
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Our events and weekly gatherings are open to everyone in the Tufts community. You can find a calendar and descriptions of our regular events on our website. If you have an idea for a gathering or event, please contact the University Chaplaincy.
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Chai & Samosas with Tufts University Chaplaincy
Friday, February 28, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Asian American Center, 17 Latin Way
Muslim Chaplain Khan Shairani, Hindu Graduate Intern Prakruthi Ramesh, and Buddhist Chaplain Mahayaye Vineetha welcome students from all backgrounds to join them for Chai and Samosas, and a chance to learn about what brought them to Tufts. Students can enjoy a bite to eat, spend some time with them, and learn more about staff from Asia and their experiences in the United States. Contact Muslim Chaplain Khan Shairani with any questions.
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Shrove Sunday Pancakes with the Protestant Students Associatio
Sunday, March 2 at 8 p.m., Goddard Chapel
The Protestant Students Association (PSA) invites you to enjoy pancakes and toppings in honor of “Shrove Sunday,” a nod to the traditional feasting and fun associated with Shrove Tuesday (a.k.a., Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. All are welcome to enjoy pancakes and other breakfast foods (with vegan and gluten-free options available). Come at 7 p.m. if you would like to attend Protestant Evening Worship on this last Sunday before the Lenten season begins, or just swing by at 8 p.m. for fun and fellowship! Email PSA Co-President Lian Juergens with any questions.
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The Riddle of Thoreau's Religion, a Book Talk with Richard Higgins
Monday, March 3 at 12:00 p.m., Eaton 112
Richard Higgins will discuss his new book Thoreau’s God, from the University of Chicago Press, which explores Thoreau's spirituality, his perception of God in nature, and his sense of the sacred in the ordinary. Thoreau was a harsh critic of Christianity in his day, but he was religious to the bone and had a profound sense of the holy. Richard presents Thoreau as a religious thinker who tried to separate the universal religious impulse from its 19th-century institutional context. In essence, Thoreau was a mystic who, while firmly moored to the earth, was on a quest to commune with a divine mystery that was both immanent in the natural world and transcendent. This talk is co-sponsored by the Department of Religion, the Center for the Humanities at Tufts, and the University Chaplaincy.
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Interfaith Iftar, hosted by the Tufts MSA and Muslim Chaplaincy
Tuesday, March 4, 5:30 p.m., Breed Memorial Hall
Tufts Muslim Chaplaincy and The Muslim Students Association (MSA) invite students, faculty, and staff to join us for breaking the fast at sunset on March 4, at Breed Hall at 5:30 p.m. Ramadan is the holy month of fasting for Muslims around the world, and it is a time of reflection and spiritual discernment that the Muslim community would like to share, along with a delicious halal meal, with our friends and neighbors throughout the University. Contact Muslim Chaplain Khan Shairani with any questions.
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Ash Wednesday Services
Wednesday, March 5, 12 p.m. and 5 p.m., Goddard Chapel
On Ash Wednesday, many mark the beginning of Lent by honoring the ancient call to be rooted in our truest selves through prayer, reflection, and acts of discipline. It is a call to journey through the wilderness as we move towards the Cross and the Empty Tomb. All are welcome to join in this ecumenical Liturgy of the Word with prayer, singing, reflection, and the optional imposition of ashes, hosted by Catholic Chaplain Lynn Cooper and Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell. For questions or more information, contact either chaplain.
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Small Art, Big Wisdom: Call for Artists
Submissions due by Monday, March 24
Get inspired by poems of Buddhist nuns and create a small-scale artwork to be presented in April at the Buddha Day Celebration at the Interfaith Center. Submit by March 24. Contact Buddhist Chaplain Vineetha Mahayaye or Associate Dean of Student Life SMFA Alyssa Baker with questions.
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Upcoming Religious Celebrations and Observances
To see more upcoming religious holidays and festivals, including information about seeking religious accommodations at Tufts, please follow the link to the Tufts Multifaith Calendar.
Maha Shivaratri
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
A feast dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. The night before the feast, fasting is observed, texts are recited, songs are sung, and stories told in honor of this God whose cosmic dance creates, preserves, destroys, and recreates the world. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Nineteen Day Fast
Friday, February 28 – Wednesday, March 19, 2025
A designated 19-day period of fasting each year immediately before the Bahá’í New Year. The fasting is seen as a period of spiritual preparation and regeneration for the new year ahead. Observances may include fasting.
Ramadan
Friday, February 28 – Sunday, March 30, 2025
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Approximate date (moon dependent). The Holy Month of Ramadan is the month of fasting during which Muslims who are physically able do not eat or drink from the first sign of dawn until sunset in honor of the first revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. The evening meal is celebrated with family. Observance(s) during this time may include fasting.
Sri Ramakrishna Jayanti
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Celebrates the birthday of Sri Ramakrishna, teacher of Swami Vivekananda.
Great Lent
Monday, March 3 – Saturday, April 19, 2025
In Orthodox churches, the first day of Lent marks the beginning of the Great Fast, the final six weeks of a 10-week period leading up to Holy Week and Easter (Pascha). In the churches that follow the Gregorian calendar, Lent is a six-week observance (40 days excluding Sundays) beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating in Holy Week. It is a time of repentance and sacrifice in preparation for Easter. Observance(s) during this time may include fasting.
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
A special day of repentance observed by Protestant and Roman Catholic Christians to mark the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) of prayer, repentance, and self-denial preceding Easter. The name derives from the practice of marking of the faithful with ashes to signify penitence. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work and may include fasting.
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Support the University Chaplaincy
Supporting programs at Tufts University in religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life is easy and vital to our work. To donate, please click on the button below. Thank you for your generosity.
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The University Chaplaincy is a dynamic hub supporting religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life for all members of the Tufts community. We provide spiritual care, support religious and philosophical communities, educate about spiritual and ethical issues in society and the world, and promote multifaith engagement.
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