Ramadan, a holy month in Islam, is a time of fasting, reflection and community. To mark the this sacred month’s beginning, five Muslim student organizations — Muslim Students Association, Ahlul Bayt Student Organization, Black Muslims Alliance, Alpha Lambda Mu and Mu Delta Alpha — came together to host a ‘Chai-Down,’ a friendly competition designed to bring the community together over a shared love of chai.
A spiced tea beverage that originated from India, Chai has spread across the world to become a staple of many cultures — each adding its own unique twist to the beloved drink. Hosted at the historic Nueces Mosque on Monday, which will be closed for renovations for the next two years, the Chai-Down celebrated this rich culinary tradition while bringing the community together in a space that has long served as a hub for student engagement and connection.
For event organizers such as Bilal Choudhry, a management information systems junior, Choudhry said hosting the Chai-Down proved a meaningful opportunity to welcome non-Muslims into the mosque.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nueces (Mosque) this packed before, especially the courtyard,” Choudhry said. “A goal that we all wanted was to increase the non-muslim presence. … This is our last semester here, so we’re wanting everyone to be exposed to it.”
Five main student leaders, including Choudhry, spent weeks planning logistics, organizing business vendors and promoting the event throughout campus and social media. The organizers said in recent years, the mosque demonstrated a need to keep up with UT’s growing population.
“This place really is a home for so many people. … So we just want to savor it.” Choudhry said. “We need space and we need resources. … After today, I think that that’s shown us now more than ever. So reconstruction is important. It’s bittersweet.”
Nafi Khan, a University of Minnesota computer science graduate, came to Austin to visit the event. He said having events like these at the mosque is something irreplaceable and would have made him closer to his peers if he had this experience at his own school.
“This mosque is completely student run, and it seems like such a tight knit community,” Khan said. “Everyone’s so friendly. I’m not even a student here, and I already made a bunch of friends. The sense of community that you guys have here at UT is pretty amazing. I didn’t even have that at my university.”
Fatima Dahab, UT Black Muslims Alliance vice president and a chaiwala (a person who prepares chai) for the event, said she called her mom for advice about her family’s chai recipe. She said the competition fostered a uniting environment.
“It’s very welcoming,” said Dahab, an exercise science junior. “There’s girls I don’t even know, and I’m
hyping them up. … When we come together and unite over something we all have in our cultures, it’s a fun competitiveness that gets us to unite.”
While Alpha Lambda Mu won the judge’s vote, Black Muslims Alliance won over 50% of the audience vote. Upon hearing this, Dahab kept her response simple, echoing the playfully competitive nature of the night.
“All I can say is, rightfully deserved,” Dahab said.
