Middle Eastern cuisine becomes a banquet, with exchanges of invitations between kin and friends, and public banquets held by charities and associations. Cafes and pastry shops are open at night, and a carnival atmosphere prevails in the streets. Many Muslims, following the reported example of Muhammad, break their fast with a date, followed by a variety of dishes. Sweet pastries and puddings are always present on Ramadan nights everywhere. The end of Ramadan is marked by a festival, Id 'al-Fitr, a feast that breaks the fast, during which a great quantity and variety of sweets and pastries are consumed. The other major Muslim
Fast-a-Thon end of the fasting day. The University of Tennessee Muslim Student Association held the first Fast-a-Thon in 2001 after the September 11, 2001 attacks and founded a national event that included students at over 230 colleges and universities in 2006. The event also is held to help dispel misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. An event at the University of Michigan has been held annually for over a decade. Other establishments supporting this event are the University of Florida, University of Washington, and the University of Waterloo. Fast-a-Thon is now an annual event held during Ramadan. If the month of Ramadan