After a busy day that ended at 1:30 a.m., Hisham Mahmoud speaks
enthusiastically about his passion: educating others about his
culture.
As a respected leader in the community, Mahmoud ““ a
graduate student in Islamic studies at UCLA ““ is driven to
fight ignorance and help educate people about Islam.
“I’m just the guy they call when the scheduled
speaker doesn’t show up,” Mahmoud said during a phone
interview.
But Mahmoud isn’t just a second-place choice to absentee
speakers. He’s developed a reputation among the local Muslim
community and beyond for his scholarship and activism.
Having acquired a command of five different languages and an
international educational experience that has taken him to Europe
and the Middle East, Mahmoud said he feels an immense sense of
responsibility whenever he’s called upon for leadership.
“I’ve been blessed to meet, talk, and study with
many intelligent scholars. … I feel a great sense of
accountability, not pride,” he said.
Mahmoud, whose family immigrated from Egypt, has actively used
his education to raise awareness about Muslims to anyone who is
interested, sometimes going to extraordinary lengths.
Back in the summer of 2001, Mahmoud said he began noticing a
surge of Muslim converts of Spanish descent within the Muslim
community. To help the new converts with their newfound faith,
Mahmoud decided to learn Spanish.
But unlike most people who learn a new language, Mahmoud
didn’t enroll in a language course or buy instructional
tools.
Instead, he packed his bags, boarded an airplane and spent
months in Spain to learn the language.
“Before I went to Spain, I didn’t know any
Spanish,” he said.
Mahmoud continues to respond to the increasing interest in
Islamic culture in the United States.
As a response to the Sept. 11 attacks , Mahmoud said he has
noticed a “skyrocketing” demand for knowledge about
Muslim culture at universities and Christian churches.
If there is any silver lining to the terrible events of Sept.
11, 2001, Mahmoud said, it lies in the channels of communication
that have been flung open.
“We’re seeing a lot of bridge-building: people
contacting Islamic centers, more interfaith dialogue, all day
seminars. This didn’t happen before the 11th,” he said,
adding that American efforts to understand their Muslim neighbors
has been “outstanding.”
As a devout Muslim, Mahmoud has taken part in the Hajj, an
annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
As one of the “five pillars” of the Muslim faith
““ which include a declaration of faith, daily prayers,
offering regular charity, and fasting during the month of Ramadan
““ the Hajj is an obligation for Muslims who are physically
and financially able to do so.
Recalling when he went to Mecca in 1996, Mahmoud said he found
himself at a lack for words to describe the experience.
“I can’t even find the words. … It was
surreal,” he said. “You have every type of human being
represented ““ all languages and types. There is no place in
the world where two million people are completely
silent.”
Despite his efforts and the bridge-building that has occurred,
Mahmoud said he believes Muslims continue to face challenges.
Pointing to the recent French ban on hijabs and other religious
symbols, Mahmoud said he feels the biggest challenge facing Muslims
is the mainstream notion that Islam is a violent,
terrorist-spawning religion.
His involvement in the Muslim community is an inspiration to
many.
“We see him as a teacher, a mentor and an example,”
said Mohamad Ahmad, a second-year business economics and
international developmental studies student.