More than 200 non-Muslim students went hungry yesterday, fasting alongside their Muslim peers during the holy month of Ramadan to raise $1,000 for a local charity.

Students who participated in the Muslim Student Association's fifth annual Fast-a-Thon abstained from food, drink, foul language, negative thoughts and even chewing gum from sunrise until sunset.

"It's an event to make non-Muslims aware of Ramadan, because not many people know that we're fasting, and also to raise funds for a local charity," said Engineering sophomore Aysha Ansari, who helped organize this year's Fast-a-Thon.

Organizers will donate money in the name of each participant to the local food bank Food Gatherers. The money came from area businesses, which pledged money for each participating student.

"We thought the local food bank was relevant because we're going hungry so someone else doesn't have to," Ansari said.

Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims, is a time of discipline in which Muslims strive to break bad habits in preparation for the year ahead. During the month, Muslims fast every day from dawn until sunset and make an extra effort to remain pure in thought and action.

"A lot of people have a lot of Muslim friends, and they want to see what (Ramadan) is like, and this is a great opportunity," Ansari said. "They get to see how hard it is."

Participating students broke their fasts together at a dinner in West Quad's Wedge Room at 7 p.m. last night.

For LSA freshman Alex Emmitt, this wasn't his first time fasting. He first encountered Ramadan while attending International Academy in Bloomfield Hills before coming to the University. Although this was his first time participating in an organized fast, he's been fasting for a few days during Ramadan for the past four years.

He said his Muslim friends in high school encouraged him to try fasting just for the experience. Fasting for one or two days has given him new respect for Muslims he knows who fast for an entire month.

"You don't feel weaker like you think you would," Emmitt said. "You feel stronger knowing that you accomplished this."

Yesterday was first-year Law student Amie Medley's first time fasting. She said it was a rigorous exercise in self-control.

"In the Law School, there is always free food somewhere," she said, adding that throughout the day she received multiple e-mails about free baked goods and free pizza.

"It's very helpful to notice how much more in control of your behavior you have to be when you're fasting," Medley said. "It's interesting to think that we have all this food within our reach all the time, and many people don't."