Muslim Student Association promotes acceptance

By: Michael Allen

Posted: 4/13/09

The Muslim Student Association is sponsoring an awareness week in an attempt to build relationships with non-Muslim Aggies. Every night this week, the MSA will have an event open to anyone interested in learning more about the Islamic faith.

"This is to help build bridges between Aggies and Muslim Aggies, and to help understand and build a respectful tolerance between them," said Maryam Ahmed, senior education major, co-chair of Muslim Awareness Week and treasurer of MSA.

The theme of Muslim Awareness Week is "Building Bridges, Breaking Chains."

"This allows people to interact with Muslims in a casual setting," Ahmed said.

The kickoff event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in the Memorial Student Center hallway. It will display a series of different tables with different themes, from clothing to art to architecture to henna tattoos, Ahmed said.

A screening of "American Ramadan" is scheduled Monday in Koldus 111. The movie shows the struggles of five American-Muslim families and discusses the importance of fasting and displaying a common ground between Christianity and Judaism.

"There should not be any compulsion in religions," Ahmed said. "A lot of people claim to do things in the name of their religion that are [in] no way correlated and misrepresent the actual beliefs."

Muslim Awareness Week events
Tuesday - 7 p.m. MSC 206
Islamic Finance and Global recession lecture with Main Al-Quadah

Wednesday - 7 p.m. Rudder 301
"Muslims Speak Out"

Thursday - 7 p.m. MSC 212
"Aggie Bonfire - Reflection on life and death"

Friday - 2:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
"Thank God Friday" at the local Mosque located at Cherry and Stasney St.