By Angelia Roggie
Features Editor
St. Bonaventure University has a new and unique religious-affiliated group, whose members are coming together and sharing their personal ideologies. This particular club is the Muslim Student Association.
The group, created by seniors Usman Jilani, Mahmuda Khan and Myra Khan, held its first interest meeting Feb. 21. The group discovered through its meeting that interest in a Muslim student organization on campus has grown and members will offer support to one another as the club continues to expand.
“I remember when we were freshmen and we first wanted to start this group, but there were only the three of us then, so it didn’t make sense to, said Mahmuda, co-president and biology major. “But now there are 15 Muslim students, and they have shown great interest in this group.”
Jilani, co-president, said he hopes the group will create a special environment for Muslim students, something the three creators strived for themselves three years ago.
“We wanted to do something as one unit and do things with people that are in a similar place as us,” said Jilani, also a biology major. “We can now practice our faith together, instead of some of us feeling isolated.”
Myra, secretary of the group, said she felt excited when she saw all the new Muslim students interested in the organization and the amount of potential she saw in the group.
“I didn’t know there were so many of us here,” said Myra, an education major. “The group will just give us such a great chance to meet a lot of new people, do things together and really make good friends.”
Mahmuda agreed the group will inspire deep connections between its members.
“We will be able to give each other a sense of support — not have to feel alone in practicing in our religion — and we can just find a source of comfort in being with others like ourselves,” she said.
Mahmuda added the organization will allow Muslim students to take advantage of opportunities within the St. Bonaventure community.
“Some of them (members of the Muslim Student Association) don’t realize that there is an Islamic Center in Allegany and the Hickey actually creates halal foods (foods that follow the Islamic dietary rules) specifically for us,” Mahmuda said.
As for future activities, the three leaders say they have a variety of things planned, including visiting the Islamic Center together once a month, eating a halal meal together in the Hickey Dining Hall, visiting the Warming House and social activities like playing billiards or other games.
“We just want to let the community know that we exist, and we can serve the community as who we are,” Mahmuda said.
However, Jilani said the organization is not restricted to just followers of Islam. He asserted that the Bonaventure community and friars have shown such great support to them, it made sense to open up the group.
“We are open to all faiths, so that others can also learn about Islam and what it stands for,” he said. “It is not meant to be closed to just us.”
Jilani also said the group encourages others outside the Islamic faith to join, so that there is a greater chance for leaders to come about and take over the group after the seniors who started the association graduate.
The Muslim Student Association is looking to be a Student Government Association-chartered club next year, but for now it’s just focusing on its overall mission of giving Muslim students on campus a chance to really practice their religion.
“We want Muslim students to just be able to come to our club and feel like they are a part of something,” Jilani said. “We want them to know that there is a place for them to go and practice their beliefs, and they don’t have to alter them because of where they are.”
roggieac10@bonaventure.edu
