Muslims were far outnumbered Thursday by people who didn’t practice their Islamic faith, but it hardly mattered.

More than 300 people — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews and pagans alike — squeezed Thursday night into the Ecumenical Christian Ministries main floor common room for a Ramadan celebration led by a liberal Muslim student organization, KU Crescent.

It took five cases of chicken and three cases of beef to feed the crowd, said India Palace employees who dished out brimming plates of curried chicken, rice and zucchini as fast as they could be served. But the food was only part of the draw.

Most of those who attended came to learn more about the Muslim holy month that started Oct. 27 this year, and why it’s significant to the more than 1 billion people worldwide who practice Islam. It is an observation of the month in which Muslims believe the Quran — Islam’s holy book — was sent down from heaven and a time Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of everyday life.

“I wanted to put a human face on what the religion really is,” said Melissa Frankel, a Kansas University senior from Lenexa.

Together, the crowd of students, university faculty and Lawrence residents listened to an Arabic prayer and broke the daylight fast that the holiday requires, with a glass of water and fresh date. Non-Muslims then quietly looked on as about 30 people who practice Islam gathered in the northeast corner of the room for their sixth and final prayer of the day, called Magreeb.

“All praises to God, the Lord of the universe, the most beneficent, the most merciful,” they softly sang in Arabic, as the others followed along using an English printout.

Monir Zafarani and Mohammed Saraey, two Iranians, brought their two young children to the event. Saraey is studying aerospace engineering at Kansas University and since he moved here nine months ago has met about 50 other Muslims in the area.

“I am surprised,” he said, surveying the room. “I didn’t think too many people would be interested because of the recent propaganda about extremists and terrorists. People have forgotten about the peaceful part of Islam.”

Muslims pray the sunset prayer at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., before a Ramadan meal and exchange. About 300 people attended the event Thursday, which aimed to educate non-Muslims about Islam.

But peace is what those there Thursday embraced.

“People are here getting rid of that image of Islam being anti-American or anti-Christian, which isn’t true,” said Jeff Whittier, 24, of Lawrence. “This is what it takes for Muslims to not be persecuted in the U.S.”

The celebration was KU Crescent’s first event. It was deemed a success by president and founder Sohel Khan.

“I’m very, very happy,” Khan said.

For him, the night had been a long time coming. When he first came to Lawrence in 1990, he had wanted to start a Muslim outreach organization, and only now is his dream materializing.

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“I wanted to help people learn about Islam because the culture is so important in shaping many nations,” he said, referring to his home, Bangladesh and India, Pakistan and Malaysia.

After a spike in interest in Islam since 9-11, he said he saw even more of a need for the group.

“We don’t want to convert, but help people to love, understand and hopefully find the right path to God, wherever that may be,” he said to the group. “Ramadan makes us humble by making the rich go hungry and transferring their money to the poor. It teaches people to love each other and bring harmony among the nations. That is what Islam is about.”