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Senior Yahya Mirza stared down the track. He had not had any food or water in over 12 hours because he was fasting for Ramadan, and he was about to run a 400-meter race. Fatigue and weakness weighed him down as he took his place on a lane, anticipating the painstaking race before him.

Nevertheless, he made it through. After finishing the track meet, Mirza was physically drained, but his spirits were lifted.

鈥淚 realized that there are many other people who do (track) while fasting,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t gave me a new appreciation for the mental strength involved in the halal lifestyle.鈥�

Mirza is one of many Muslims who partake in a halal lifestyle. This lifestyle is based on the concepts of 鈥渉alal鈥� (allowed or permissible) and 鈥渉aram鈥� (forbidden), which are taught in the Quran, the sacred scripture of Islam. The natural state of everything is halal, and things are haram only if specified in the Quran 鈥� pork, for example, is haram because pigs are considered unclean. These concepts apply to aspects of life beyond food, including social norms and individual beliefs.

鈥淯niversally, (the halal lifestyle) is no pork, no alcohol, no drugs,鈥� Mirza said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 more to it with the halal lifestyle. I see the halal lifestyle as my moral code, along with the Islamic moral code.鈥�

Freshman Hana Siddeek, who is also Muslim, noted that the distinctions between haram and halal aren鈥檛 always simple.

鈥淭here鈥檚 some circumstances nowadays where there鈥檚 not something specifically stated, so you have to use logic and reason and the sayings of the Prophet, peace be upon him, to infer the right decision,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 also varying degrees of disliked, allowed, permissible and encouraged.鈥�

The strictness with which the lifestyle is followed also varies. Siddeek and her family are flexible with some things because of their personal beliefs and choices.

鈥淕elatine is sometimes taken from the insides of a pig, so a lot of Muslims won鈥檛 eat gelatine unless it鈥檚 halal gelatine,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut my parents (took) a class and their teacher told them that gelatine is chemically reformed 鈥� it鈥檚 a completely different thing and not actually pork. So, I eat gelatine.鈥�

Nevertheless, finding food options can be difficult. Students may opt for vegetarian options simply because finding halal-certified food options can be challenging. While Mirza has faced these difficulties, he also noted that those at Gunn do their best to make allowances.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 necessarily eat (school lunch) depending on which family you鈥檙e from,鈥� Mirza said. 鈥淧eople (at Gunn) are supportive and they understand the restrictions that I have. I feel like Gunn makes the halal lifestyle relatively easy.鈥�

Outside the realm of food, haram and halal also govern other aspects of daily life, including social interactions.

鈥淚 can hang out with my friends just fine, but if my friends are making bets or playing poker, I just don鈥檛 put any money in,鈥� Mirza said. 鈥�(Living halal) also teaches me how to create my own boundaries so people don鈥檛 cross them.鈥�

For Siddeek, part of living halal is not dating.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 date,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is a reason why I prefer juvenile fiction, because a lot of the young-adult fiction features people doing stuff that they wouldn鈥檛 normally do unless they were married, but they鈥檙e not married. That makes me a little uncomfortable.鈥�

Ramadan is still another crucial aspect of living halal. During this sacred ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims fast, waking up before sunrise for a meal and praying afterward. While fasting, Muslims do not eat or drink, including water. Prayers are segmented throughout the day: dawn (鈥淔ajr鈥�), early afternoon (鈥淒huhr鈥�), later afternoon (鈥淎sr鈥�), sunset (鈥淢aghrib鈥�) and evening (鈥淚sha鈥�).

These daily prayers allow Mirza time for introspection. While he tries to pray five times a day, most days outside of Ramadan, he prays once in the early morning and once before bed.

鈥淟iving halal affects me in a positive manner because every (day) through prayer, I get to reflect upon my own feelings and show gratitude towards my own life,鈥� he said. While many of Siddeek鈥檚 experiences with Islam have been shaped by her parents, she has gradually learned to embrace and interpret the religion in her own way.

鈥淎s I learn about (Islam), I鈥檝e started to (follow) it more of my own accord because I understand it,鈥� she said. 鈥淛ust learning by myself and learning from my parents鈥� guidance has helped me to live this way.鈥�

Sophomore Yoni Dadon and his friends often go to McDonalds to get a bite to eat. Each time, they order a feast of nuggets, chicken sandwiches, hamburgers and a myriad of other items on the menu. Whenever Dadon tags along, the menu of 145 items is narrowed down to his one 鈥� his only 鈥� kosher food option: fries.

In the realm of dietary customs, few are as distinct and meticulously specific as the kosher lifestyle. The English word 鈥渒osher鈥� emerges from the Hebrew root 鈥渒ash茅r,鈥� symbolizing purity, propriety and suitability for consumption. This concept, deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, is governed by a set of laws known as 鈥渒ashrut,鈥� outlined in the Torah, the central reference of Jewish sacred texts. The application of these laws extends beyond simple dietary restrictions and encompasses a comprehensive lifestyle that influences not only what one can eat but also how food is prepared, processed and served.

Kashrut divides food into three categories: 鈥渇leishig鈥� (meat), 鈥渕ilchig鈥� (dairy) and 鈥減areve鈥� (neither meat nor dairy), each subject to strict guidelines. For instance, meat must come from certain animals that chew their cud and have split hooves, and these animals must be slaughtered in a specific manner to be considered kosher. Dairy products, on the other hand, must come from kosher animals and cannot be mixed with meat. Pareve foods, including fish (only with fins and scales), eggs and plant-based items, serve as a neutral category, compatible with either meat or dairy.

These laws not only dictate the types of foods that are permitted, but also mandate the separation of meat and dairy products to an extent that even the utensils and kitchenware used for their preparation must not make contact. The period between consuming meat and dairy varies among communities, typically ranging from one to six hours, reflecting the diversity in observance levels.

While some Jewish families follow these laws strictly, others do not. Junior Ronnie Horowitz, who grew up in a secular Jewish family in Israel, doesn鈥檛 restrict what she eats based on kosher guidelines. This approach to Judaism means that cultural identity may not necessarily include strict adherence to dietary laws.

鈥淚t never made me feel more or less Jewish,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 practice in my own way and those practices don鈥檛 include keeping kosher.鈥�

In contrast, sophomore Yoni Dadon and his family have always maintained a certain degree of kashrut. His family follows the traditional waiting period between consuming meat and dairy, separates utensils and plates for dairy and meat, and factors kosher laws into restaurant choices.

鈥淚t means a lot to me because when I eat kosher, I feel more connected to my Jewish identity,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 upholding Jewish tradition and doing what my family did before me.鈥�

Navigating the practice of keeping kosher often intersects with social dynamics, leading to moments of hesitation and stigma. According to Dadon, keeping kosher can occasionally impact interactions with friends, particularly when going out to eat.

鈥淪ometimes, it can be embarrassing when I have to eat something kosher or order something special in front of others, but I try not to let it affect me,鈥� he said.

Keeping kosher proves a challenge outside of home, because there are limited kosher restaurants and options in Palo Alto. Dadon鈥檚 family often eats at pizza places such as Domino鈥檚 when going out, or at restaurants like True Foods, which has a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options. Horowitz also noted that some students hesitate to share their dietary choices, and choose to instead say they are allergic or vegan.

鈥淜eeping kosher is something friends are embarrassed to admit,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or example, my friend wouldn鈥檛 say he won鈥檛 eat pork because it isn鈥檛 kosher 鈥� he simply says he doesn鈥檛 eat pork. It seems too complex to explain.鈥�

Exploring the varied paths of keeping kosher reveals a profound sense of identity and tradition for many, including Dadon.

鈥淎s I get more freedom as I grow older, I think I will keep kosher because it means something to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more than just a diet.鈥�

Horowitz鈥檚 perspective values personal choice and the diversity of Jewish practice.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 intend to change my lifestyle to fit someone else鈥檚 definition of what being Jewish is,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou should never tell someone how to practice their Judaism.鈥�