UMD MSA hosts Islamic Education Week, Quran Night

After Maghrib prayer on Nov. 7 in the Diyanet Center, the ornate Turkish patterns glistening on the walls captured the radiant light from the gold and silver chandeliers as students gathered to hear Quran recitations from different huffaz. The serene voices of multiple reciters from various local universities echoed across every chamber as they recited the words of Allah.  

The University of Maryland’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted its annual Islamic Education Week from Nov. 3 to Nov. 7 with each day of the week relating to a particular Islamic topic. The week concluded with Quran Night, where various Quran reciters from both the UMD and University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) MSAs came together to read and reflect on the Quran. 

“It felt calming and spiritually uplifting,” one of the reciters, Shaheer Imam, wrote to Al-Hikmah. Imam has recited at Quran Night multiple times across the years. He hopes that the event served as a form of spiritual reflection and guidance for attendees.  

Other events included a revert panel featuring students who shared their conversion stories. Among them was Akunna Okonkwo, a junior public health science major who reverted last year.

“This [event] was so important for me,“ said Okonkwo. Last year, she also attended the UMD MSA’s Islamic Inspiration Week. “I kind of needed [Islamic Inspiration Week] for someone who was … more shy, just learning a lot about the deen.”

The Revert Panel served not only as a forum for other reverts to share their experiences, but as Okonkwo put it, for reverts to relate to the panelists. 

Another event in the MSA’s Islamic Education Week was the “Try on a Hijab” stand outside of McKeldin Library. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, a group of Muslim women set up a table with a colorfully decorated whiteboard with rows of hijabs for anyone to try.

“I feel like nowadays, especially in our society, we have a really negative connotation of the word ‘hijab’,” said Yaara Aboelmagd, who was running the stand and is vice president of sister’s affairs for UMD MSA. “[It’s about] educating people on why we wear hijab, why it’s such an important part of our deen, and why we’re not oppressed,” the junior public health major said.

Aboelmagd noted that despite the negative stereotypes around hijab, most people actually approached her because they wanted to start wearing it. 

“Hijab is protection,” Aboelmagd said.

The MSA also hosted other events including a calligraphy night for students to make Islamic art, as well as a dawah (Islamic education)  workshop.

“The overall purpose of [Islamic Education] week was to create a space for learning, reflection, and connection, bringing people closer to their deen and giving students a chance to experience different aspects of Islamic education in a comfortable and welcoming environment,” Rayn Ali, the vice president of UMD MSA and a junior information science major wrote to Al-Hikmah. 

“Alhamdullilah, we saw that happen throughout the week.”

_{Image credits: Cover photo by Amna Tariq/Al-Hikmah.}