By Diana McElfresh
Editor-in-Chief
Of the some 13 universities Amina Golden-Arabaty applied to, only St. Bonaventure offered Arabic, let alone a program in Islamic Studies.
“My mom was an alum, and [the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies] wasn’t here when she was here, so I was so happy,” Golden-Arabaty, a sophomore journalism and mass communication major, said of discovering the program.
According to center director, Fr. Michael Calabria, O.F.M., the program has a lot to offer to the university.
“We’ve gotten the newsletter up and running, and we’ve got programming going on, as with the John Esposito talk. Because of the visibility of the center, I’ve been invited to do a lot of public speaking,” said Fr. Calabria. “So, we’re getting a lot of recognition both locally and nationally.”
Calabria said the program helps the university in numerous unique ways.
“There’s a benefit to the Bonaventure community in the sense that they have the opportunity to delve deeply into the Islamic religion, history, culture, which benefits Bonaventure students because I think it really helps them become citizens of the world.”
Golden-Arabaty, who last year spearheaded a movement to reorganize the former Muslim Student Association into the current Muslim Students and Allies group, said the organization, which runs in conjunction to the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, offers students great opportunities.
“I wanted to bring everyone together, and not just Muslims, in learning, discussions, conversations and in our meetings we bring up controversial topics surrounding many ideas,” she said.
She said Muslim values and Franciscan values run parallel to one another.
Calabria agreed that Francis and Islam are inextricably linked, especially to a meeting Francis had during the Crusades with a Muslim leader.
“I think it really goes back to Francis himself and his encounter with the Sultan in 1219, the sense of reaching across cultural and religious divides. That’s where I think it’s very much grounded in the Franciscan tradition.”
The Center for Arab and Islamic Studies will offer the second part of Arabic next semester as well as an introduction to Islamic Art and Architecture and History of the Modern Middle East.
mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
