CAIRO – Seeking to bring Islam closer to their colleagues, Muslim students in the Penn State University will be moving their weekly Friday prayer today to the university’s Old Main lawn, to demonstrate the practices of the Muslim faith for the Penn State community.
“With the Friday prayers, we also have sermons, or khutba, led by a religious leader, or an imam, and this gives us reminders for living our daily lives,” Nabila Zawawi, senior-risk management, told Daily Collegian, Penn university students’ daily newspaper, on Friday, April 29.
“Plus, Friday is our holy day where we get dressed up for the day to celebrate, much like how Sundays are for Christians.”
Every week, Muslims hold their weekly Friday prayer, known as Jumm`ah, in Pasquerilla Spiritual Center.
The place will change this week after the Muslim Student Association announced Thursday that they are moving to Old Main lawn to demonstrate the practices of the Muslim faith for the Penn State community.
This week, the sermon will be titled “The Sweetness in the Struggle” and will focus on finding strength when dealing with a problem and trying to adjust attitudes accordingly, Khayat said.
Welcoming students of other faiths to attend and observe the service, the MSA would like to bring a sense of understanding of the Muslim faith to students at Penn State
“It is really important for students to come to this event, even just for observation, as it is a monumental moment in Penn State history,” the MSA’s events coordinator Hamsa Fayed (senior-international politics) said.
“I think it is also a critical moment for young Muslim students, in the heat of the current political discourse, to take a stand of integrity for their identity and practices.”
The gathering will be attended by Muslim students of all ethnicities, uniting them for the purpose of spirituality, peace and promotion of social goods, Fayed said.
“The strength felt standing alongside an Ummah, or a community, to call your own is truly a breathtaking experience for those participating,” Fayed said.
“We welcome everyone to attend our sermon and prayer and hope that they find it interesting.”