Siti Sarah Jumali ate breakfast at 5 a.m. on Saturday. If she skipped the meal, she wouldn't have gotten food until after sundown.

Jumali (senior-biotechnology) and other Muslim students started fasting on Saturday as part of the Islamic holiday Ramadan.

"It's difficult to go to classes and see other people eating, especially when I'm hungry," Jumali said.

"I try to eat before classes, and that helps me get through the day."

Ramadan lasts an entire month and celebrates Allah revealing the first verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, to the prophet Muhammad.

During the month, Muslims don't eat or drink during the day.

They sit down for meals only before the sun rises and after the sun sets.

People also refrain from bad deeds, such as cursing, smoking and lying. In Islam, the fast remains obligatory for all healthy people.

The fast is very cleansing, Hashim Alawwami (freshman-petroleum engineering) said.

"It's very healthy," he said. "It helps keep everything in moderation."

Abdelgadir Elmadani (senior-petroleum engineering) said the fast reminds him of the poor and makes him feel fortunate.

"Many people have a lot less than me," he said.

"When I feel hungry, this allows me to help understand how they feel and what their lives are like."

Keeping busy makes the fast easier, Elmadani said.

"Sometimes, [keeping the fast] is challenging, but for the most part, I find it easy," he said.

"I have a packed schedule, and I normally grab food in between classes. Now, I just eat when I come home at night."

Sometimes, explaining the fast to non-Muslims is very challenging, Elmadani said.

"I have lots of friends who don't understand [the holiday], and sometimes, we get into an argument because they don't want to wait so long to eat," he said.

"That is the hardest part of Ramadan."

Ramadan ends with a feast on Oct. 23.

This day acts as a time for people to come together and eat and drink, Jumali said.

"It's very fun," she said, "especially after the month-long fast."