01-25-2007, 09:04 PM
<b>How should I act as a Muslim on campus? </b>
We've so far discussed how you may have to adjust to University, and how MSAs can help you, but there is more to being a Muslim on campus. You have certain responsibilities to yourself and to the Muslim community in general, which, no doubt, Allah will reward you for. These are very simple things to do, and they don't take much time. More than anything else, they're really about an Islamic attitude, rather than a prescriptive list of do's and don'ts.
First of all, it is important to be proud of being Muslim. So many Muslims I know hide their Islam, as if it is something to be embarrassed about. This is understandable to a certain extent, given the bad rap that Muslims get in the media today, but it doesn't make it right. There is a lot to be proud of about being Muslim: historically, the activities of the Muslims as scientists and scholars formed the basis for the European Renaissance (a debt which many historians "forget" about), as well as creating a stable, just society for more than 800 years; and morally, being Muslims means that you adhere to a set of beliefs and forms of behavior that elevate you above those who do not adhere to to these beliefs.
Put it this way: If homosexuals can go on about "gay pride", and the thing that they are proud of is something that Islam considers an abomination; then how proud should we be, knowing that we are on the right path?
What does this imply practically? It means that I should not be ashamed to let people know of my Islamic heritage; whether it be through what I say, what I wear, what I eat, what I spend my time on or whatever. If you're going to pray, say, "Excuse me for a moment, I need to go pray to my God," instead of some made-up excuse, like "Excuse me - I need to meet someone" or the like. Be up front about it when doing your Islamic duties!
Surprisingly, this is not as difficult as it sounds. People usually approach universities with an open mind; and it is likely that they will not mind at all. It may even evoke some curiosity in some people. When I told one person the above, he said, "Gee, do you mind if I watch?" If people see you doing things diligently and with sincerity, they develop a respect for you and your religion, even if they do not believe in it.
<b></b>
The benefits of Muslim self-confidence
The effects of Muslim pride are beneficial in a number of ways. Firstly, it "backs up" other Muslims on campus, who no longer feel as isolated about being Muslims. Seeing someone else who is proud to be Muslim lifts another Muslim's spirit incredibly - when I see someone wearing an Islamic T-shirt, or a sister wearing Hijab, it still has this effect on me, and I feel like going up to them and congratulating them. Secondly, when people see Muslims being so proud, it invokes curiosity, and interest in them, which may be the door for Allah guiding them to the correct path. You will be surprised how many times you will be asked questions about Islam, without having to do anything "active".
When the opportunities do arise, inform them about Islam; in this way you will be fulfilling your obligation for Da'wa. Don't be too forceful in this, however; as it says in the Qur'an [16:125] "Invite to the Way of your Lord with wisdom, and good, well behaved teaching, and discuss with them in the best way possible." In this way, you may affect their perception of Islam. While they may not become Muslim (although these things are in the hands of Allah, and Allah guides whom He wills to the straight path), they will at least know a little more about Islam, from an authentic source, rather than from some misinformed (or even worse, deliberately misinforming) journalist.
But there is a caveat to all of this, which is: what is the point of being proud of Islam if its effects are not perceived in your actions? Muslim pride should be backed up every step of the way by the corresponding actions. There is no point talking to people about the importance of good manners in Islam if you do not follow it up with your own actions. As cliche as it is, "actions speak louder than words" apply particularly in this situation.
Remember that you are a walking example of Islam, and that almost everything you do in public will not only reflect on you, but also to some extent on Islam itself. You should reflect all the attributes that make you proud to be Muslim: honesty, sincerity, trustworthiness, cleanliness, politeness and so on. When people see these characteristics in you, they will not only like you as a person (which they inevitably will, unless it is a group of people the likes of whom you shouldn't be associating with in the first place), they will also be curious as to its origin; and seeing you are Muslim will now have a somewhat more positive image of Islam than they may have had before.
This also means that you should fulfil your Islamic obligations in other ways as well. For example, there is no excuse for you not to pray on campus. As we've mentioned, there are prayer rooms at most universities, and even if there aren't there are many quiet places to be found that can serve as a place to pray. There is no reason not to dress Islamically, since there are no rules about dress (other than those of the general community).
<b>Communal responsibilities</b>
As well as your responsibilities at a personal level, it is always good to participate in communal activities. As we've already mentioned, there are MSAs at almost all the universities in North America. These should be an important component of your student life. These MSAs have a set of goals they try to achieve. This varies from university to university, but basically these are:
* Spreading the Message of Islam throughout campus and the wider community.
* Making it easier for Muslims to be Muslims on campus by providing facilities for Muslims and lobbying the university administration on Muslims' behalf.
* Educating Muslims about their own religion.
* Defending Islam when it is attacked.
MSAs are special in that they are very multicultural, with Muslims from different parts of the world. Also, most of the members are educated, which makes it a unique Islamic environment in many ways, since these are two of the problems which seem to plague the wider Muslim community. These MSAs are run by volunteers who probably don't have much more free time than you, so don't expect a "professional service". They put a lot of energy just into keeping MSAs running, and even more effort is involved if special events, such as talks, are to be held.
The very least you can do to support MSAs is to show up at these events. They are probably free, and you might just learn something useful. Showing up indicates to the organizers that there are people out there interested in Islam and its message. There are few things more disheartening than putting hours and hours of effort into an event (that may even have been requested by the members) and have nobody show up (not even the people who suggested it!). It creates a feeling of "why do we bother" in the minds of those who put the effort in.
But that is the bare minimum that Muslims should do. There is so much more that they can help with. Most MSAs are involved in the following to a lesser or greater extent: Da'wa, education, social events, sports, cleaning and maintenance, student tutoring, special committees for sisters, student politics, publications and many others. I'm sure you'll be able to find a niche in any MSA where you will apply your skills! People running MSAs will be more than happy to help you find some way you can contribute.
<b>Getting Involved</b>
Feel free to speak your mind and make suggestions; but please don't use "hit and run" technique. By this I mean that you go up to someone working for the MSA and hit them with an idea saying: "This should be done," naming something that you feel is important and then run away expecting it to be done. What you should say is: "We should do this" or "I want to do this for the sake of Islam, how can you support me?" so that you not only make a suggestion but are a critical part of following up on it.
Remember that in any association with more than one person in it, that you are going to get differences of opinion about anything, and MSAs are no different; in fact, perhaps slightly more so because of the wide variety of cultures their members come from. But it is important to remember that these differences are about how we do things, not about the underlying reasons for doing them. The key is not to let these differences of opinion damage or divide Muslims, and to keep it above the personal level, remembering that we are Muslims and that one of the defining characteristics of Muslims is that they love their brothers. The Prophet (saw) said: "One of you does not truly believe until he likes for himself what he likes for his (Muslim) brother." Provided that we remember this, differences of opinion are healthy.
May Allah help you adjust to university life, and not to squander the opportunities present there. University, like many things, is not in itself good or bad; it is what you do there that makes all the difference. May Allah guide us all to using us for what he sees best, and may he guide us all to the correct path of action.