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US Muslim Student Groups Create Inclusive Campuses

AboutIslam & Newspapers
30 April, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – With rising Islamophobia in the US, Muslim students on campuses have been holding informative events regularly to eradicate misconceptions about their faith and extend bridges of mutual understanding in the society.

“We’re trying to institutionalize the Muslim student experience on campus by reaching out to the administration, asking for resources we may need, having events that may provide spiritual, academic, or social help, and making sure that the Muslim students have a support system and community on campus,” Shafeen Pittal, the VP of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) told Study International on April 30.

In today’s America, Muslim students have been facing rising negative attitudes, ranging from blatant Islamophobia to microaggressions.

In this atmosphere, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) “strives to facilitate networking, educating, and empowering the students of today to be citizens of tomorrow’s community” according to its website.

Events include Islam Awareness Weeks and Hijab days as well as organizing protests and demonstrations for social justice and equality.

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Other events include fundraising forums and charity affairs to help the less fortunate.

“Western media misinterpret and mistakenly associate ‘jihad’ with “holy war” and violence, when its actual meaning is “struggle,” defined by the Holy Qur’an as a struggle to be a better Muslim and a better society,” Pittal explained.

At the University of Maryland, the Muslim Student Association hosted a recent Islam awareness week, offering people a chance to try hijab and share food.

“If you’re unaware of our beliefs and why we practice the way we practice, it’s very easy to form this negative idea about is and we want to clear that up to decrease discrimination, to decrease any judgment for Muslims not just on this campus, but for Muslims anywhere around the world,” Ayah Avuserrieh, from the University of Maryland (UMD), said.

Since the victory of the current American president Donald Trump, studies have shown how hate attacks in 2015 and 2016 have skyrocketed and how terrorism against Muslims have surpassed post-9/11 levels.

Islam is the third largest religion in the US after Christianity and Judaism. According to 2016 estimates, there were 3.3 million Muslims living in the US forming about 1% of the total population.