The terms “Islamic terrorist” and “Muslim
extremist” are common in the news and public arena these
days.
Not so often heard is the view of Islam that the Muslim Student
Association will present to the UCLA campus this week.
During Islamic Awareness Week, which begins today and will last
through Friday, Muslim students will present their religion as a
tolerant, just one and highlight the contribution Islam has made to
society.
Each year, the week is done a bit differently, as a brand new
group of students ““ freshmen and transfer students ““ is
responsible for organizing the event.
“We don’t want to do the same old topics. We think
new people can bring new topics and they can put in their own
input,” said Faryal Humkar, a third-year transfer student and
member of MSA who helped organize the week’s events.
Though the topics and the organizers may change from year to
year, the purpose of the events remains constant ““ to educate
the community on Islam and show that Muslims are not different from
other students.
“I think one of the main goals is to bridge a gap between
the general UCLA community and the Muslim (community),” said
Sami Hasan, president of MSA.
One of the causes for this gap is misunderstanding, Humkar said.
“A lot of people just don’t have any knowledge about
Islam … they have a lot of preconceptions and
stereotypes.”
Students in MSA hope the events of the week will get rid of
these stereotypes.
One of the main points MSA will make this week is that Islam is
not an oppressive religion, as it is sometimes perceived.
“We, as Muslims on campus, are out … to reiterate that
Islam is not a religion of oppression,” said Adam Elsayed, a
third-year transfer student and member of MSA who helped organize
the events. “It’s a religion of just rights.”
The treatment of Islamic women is one common Muslim practice
that people point to as being oppressive, so the practice of women
“covering,” as Humkar called it, will be a central
theme of the week.
Humkar, who wears the traditional Muslim headdress know as the
hijab, said the practice is not one of oppression but is a custom
she and many other women prefer.
“It was my own choice to cover,” Humkar said.
“It’s out of modesty. … I force people to see me for
my mind.”
On Wednesday evening, along with a speaker on the freedoms that
exist in Islam, there will be a lecture on why women choose to wear
the hijab.
MSA will also use this week to highlight the similarities
between Islam and Christianity by discussing the important role the
figure of Jesus plays in each religion.
By having an event dedicated to the Muslims’ relationship
with Jesus, members of MSA “hope to bridge the gap between
Christianity and Islam,” Hasan said.
Unlike many of MSA’s other events, Islamic Awareness Week
is designed for non-Muslims, for those who may otherwise never have
the opportunity or inclination to learn about Islam.
But the week also has benefits for the club itself ““
having students who are new to MSA and the campus plan the events
not only provides for a wider range of events and issues, but
contributes to building leadership and participation within the
group.
The experience of organizing the awareness week gives new
members an opportunity to participate in a meaningful way early on
and “get involved and put their foot in” the Muslim and
campus community, Humkar said.
And the responsibility that comes with the job of putting on a
week of events gives members leadership experience and makes them
more likely to come back and stay actively involved in MSA, Hasan
said.
“It teaches them some tools they need to put on events and
organize,” Hasan said. “They feel much more involved
within the community and they’re much more able to take on
larger tasks.”
Elsayed said that at times he had to seek the help of others in
the group who had more experience at UCLA, but that he did not find
the experience of organizing a program at a new campus
overwhelming.
In the past, the events of Islamic Awareness week have attracted
Muslims and non-Muslims alike and given both an increased interest
in the religion and culture, Hasan said.
“People come away from Islamic Awareness Week a lot more
curious about Islam, and even some of the Muslims, they start to
come around more,” Hasan said of his experiences in past
years.
In the past there have also been some less positive responses to
the events of Islamic Awareness Week ““ last year offensive
flyers that included sketches of terrorists and suicide bombers
were put on MSA signboards by unknown individuals.
But Hasan said that this was not indicative of the campus’
overall reaction to the week, and that the general response is a
positive one.
“The good thing is I do feel UCLA students are …
open-minded,” Humkar said. “I think this will actually
promote a lot of education.”