NFL players speak at annual Fast-A-Thon

It’s not every day that NFL players take a position behind not eating. 

NFL free agents and brothers Hamza and Husain Abdullah were guest speakers during the USF Muslim Student Association’s (MSA)
10th annual Fast-A-Thon at the Marshall Student Center Ballroom on Wednesday night.

The former Vikings and Cardinals players, respectively, who have fasted during Ramadan since they were seven, took the year off of football to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, touring 30 mosques along the way.

“The reason I enjoy going to colleges is that everyone in college has that same look that says, ‘I’m going to change the world,’” Hamza Abdullah said. 

Syed Zohaad Hasan, president of MSA, invited Hamza and Husain to Fast-A-Thon when they attended a religious event together. 

Fast-A-Thon helped raise money for student organizations such as Muslims without Borders, Project Downtown and the Red Crescent Clinic. On the tables, MSA provided free hummus, pita bread and dates — the traditional foods used to break Ramadan fasts with. 

Adam Gebarin, a junior majoring in civil engineering and the campus public relations liason for MSA, said the event, which was open to all,  also took part in an attempt to dissipate stereotypes against Muslims.

“The day after Sept. 11 seemed to be somewhat of a controversy, but due to the scheduling it got pushed to the 12th,” he said. “But we are trying to remove the misconceptions people have on Muslims.”