In October, the Brown Muslim Students' Association helped raise over $2,600 in the "Fast-a-Thon," a charity event held during Ramadan, the ninth month of the year in the Islamic calendar, during which practicing Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. The event served two purposes, according to Saad Yousuf '08, the group's public relations official. In addition to raising money for earthquake victims in Pakistan, the event allowed non-Muslims to "personally experience the life of a fasting Muslim for a day," Yousuf said.
This event exemplifies BMSA's efforts to bring Muslim traditions to the Brown community. As part of that effort, Lamia Khan '08 said the group extended what was formerly Islam Awareness Week, usually held in March, to encompass a month's worth of programming this year.
BMSA's objective is not only to "cater to the needs of the Muslim community," but also to try to educate the rest of the campus about Islam, said Kahn, the group's current president. Because "Brown is really open-minded and supportive" of the diversity around campus, "more awareness is always better," she explained.
BMSA's listserve exceeds 100 students, including Muslims and non-Muslims, but there are about 20 core members who attend nearly every BMSA event, a substantial number of whom are first-years, according to Khan. "We're pretty small in terms of active members, but different people are involved with different components of the club," Khan said.
The varying levels of commitment do not pose any problems for the group, according to Malika Ali '09. Group members "help each other achieve whatever goals we all individually have. We don't try to enforce any sort of standard," Ali said.
The group brings together members from all over the world practicing different sects of Islam to varying degrees. "We're too diverse to be culturally focused," said Ali, a secretary of the group's executive board. But, she said, "A Muslim is a Muslim."
Khan said members join the club for different reasons. "Everyone has their own interest and expectation of what they want out of the club," Khan said. For example, before coming to Brown, Khan said she always wanted to learn more about her religion, "and I can do that by talking to other Muslims."
To accommodate the Brown Muslim population's religious needs, BMSA provides Jumuah prayers every Friday, which Khan said is standard for a mosque. The group also holds Isha prayers every evening and weekly Tajweed classes for learning how to read and interpret the Koran. Muslims "need to understand the Koran properly because excerpts of it are so often taken out of context," especially in light of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Ali said.
Praying in congregation followed by group discussions is important in Muslim communities, according to Khan. BMSA provides an environment for such discussion.
However, these services and classes are never exclusively for Muslim students.
Ali explained that she has non-Muslim friends who have attended some services or have visited the BMSA's room in the basement of Champlin Hall "just to hang out." "We try to be so open because we want people to feel comfortable in our environment," Ali said.
Ali said she likes how at Brown, "everyone gets a chance to get out of their comfort zones, their bubbles ... I think that's what makes an educated society."
The atmosphere of the group is often informal. "We hang out a lot - it's not all about religion," Ali said. For example, a short reading from the Koran was the only religious component to "Henna Night," a get-together to apply temporary body art called mehendi, and "Eid Remix," a party with music and karaoke held around the holiday Eid ul-Adha.
The appointment of Rumee Ahmed as Muslim University Chaplain in January has been a "big convenience because it provides us with a link to the administration," Khan said. BMSA, however, continues to be run by the student executive board.
