US Students Raise Islam Awareness
“The Muslim Students’ Association provides GVSU students with the opportunity to come together in a supportive Muslim environment,” Jenna Stoken, one of MSA’s two presidents, told Grand Valley Lanthorn on Thursday, January 30.
“The MSA also actively seeks to educate and raise awareness about Islam in GVSU and surrounding communities through various events and activities.”
Comprising about 60 students, Grand Valley's MSA includes international students and graduated members who are eager to offer support for Muslim students on the Campus.
Ensuring spiritual environment on Friday, MSA leads Muslim students' congregation upstairs in the Kirkhof Center to perform the Friday's prayer afternoon.
"On a personal level, I think we try to emphasize the statement ‘practice what you preach,’” said Amina Mohamed, co¬president of the MSA.
“That is, as we learn about different values and principles in Islam, we try to embody them within us so those around us can learn from us not only through our words but also actions.”
The group includes members from different sects of Islam, ethnicities along with non-Muslim members, reflecting diversity of the Muslim community in the US.
“We have both Sunni and Shiite within the group and both on the e-board,” said Nargilya Gasanova, a nursing student at GVSU and vice president of MSA.
Gasanova noted that many Americans believe that Muslims are of Middle East origins only.
As a part its pro-Islam frequent activities, MSA is due to host Islam Awareness Week next March which will include discussions tackling the image of Muslims in media and women in Islam.
During the Awareness week, a hijab event will be organized in which women in GVSU will get the chance to don headscarves throughout the day and share their experience.
Source: onislam.net
