Club Spotlight: Muslim Student Association

In an occasional series, Royal News spotlights clubs from the university’s 100+ student organizations on campus, speaks to members and offers information on how to connect with the clubs.

To suggest a club for a future Royal News article, to share ideas or to inform us of any upcoming club events, please email RoyalNews@scranton.edu or Felicia.Domiano@scranton.edu

GET INVOLVED

Club: Muslim Student Association

Meet: Hiba Muhammad '25, shown, a biology major from Mountain Top, Pennsylvania and president/founder of the Muslim Student Association.

Connect:@msa.at.uofs 

By: Felicia Domiano ’25, student correspondent

What is your association’s mission?
"The purpose of the Muslim Student Association is to unite Muslim students from all different backgrounds and cultures to create a welcoming community dedicated to making our campus a more inclusive space. Our goal is to educate community members on the principles of the Islamic faith and to promote a healthy dialogue between Muslim and non-Muslim students.

We aim to make the community a better place by hosting an array of events, including healthy discussions, information sessions, fundraising and charity events. We believe that embracing the diversity of the students at Scranton will make the community more vibrant and accepting. The ultimate goal of this MSA is to foster an inclusive space for anyone interested in the Islamic faith and to provide a support system for Muslims in the University community."

What, in your opinion, are the most exciting events or activities you present?
"Some exciting events that we have in store include iftar dinners in Ramadan, for Muslim students to break their fasts and for non-Muslim students to learn a bit about Islam, Ramadan, and the cultures within the Muslim world. We are also excited to do an Eid event again this year to celebrate the end of Ramadan."

Why would you recommend someone join?
"Absolutely everyone is welcome to join the MSA! I would especially recommend anyone who has an interest in being exposed to new cultures and belief systems to join. Anyone who wants to find common ground with their peers that they may not know much about would find that the MSA is a great place to start."

Why did you join the MSA?
"I chose to join and found the MSA to create a space where Muslim students could meet one another and could teach others about the beauty of our religion. I think it is important for people to be able to learn about Islam and Muslims first hand rather than online, where there is no personal connections. I also hope for the MSA to be a voice for those who would otherwise be left unheard and to increase the diversity on campus."

Please share the format of a typical club meeting. 
"Typically, our club meetings with begin with a short discussion based on questions or topics that our members want to learn or understand more about. We typically follow this discussion with some sort of fun activity. Our goal is to maintain a healthy balance between learning and simply connecting and having fun with one another."

Any plans for the fall semester?
"For the fall semester we hope to plan an interfaith discussion, perhaps in partnership with other faith-based clubs on campus. We hope for this to be an avenue for people across the campus community to respectfully ask questions and learn from one another. We think that understanding one another is key to fostering a healthy and thriving community. Some other upcoming activities that will occur during our meetings will be a game board night, henna night, paint and sip (with chai), and even a jinn (ghost stories night)."

Anything we have not asked about that you’d like to mention?
"Our meetings are typically every other Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., and you can join on Royal Sync stay updated on upcoming event/meetings coming up!"