On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted their second annual bazaar, a place for Muslim students and alumni to create financial opportunity within the community. Vendors ranged from crochet arts, coffee, press-on nails and digitally made calligraphy art.
Yasmin Kotb, a sophomore information science major, was a vendor at the MSA Bazar for the first time this year. Kotb sells matcha from her brand Btween Sips. She said she started it from her “love for creating drinks.”
She has expanded her business from family and friends to pop-ups at Edward St. Johns Building (ESJ) and MSA events. Her dream is to have her own cafe one day. “This is a good step for me to take, especially now since I’m in college and my friends are here to support me.”
Mohammad Abdulmujeeb, a junior aerospace engineering major, is on the board of MSA, as the Musallah Affairs Coordinator. Abdulmujeeb said “MSA board last year decided to start the annual MSA bazaar, to give vendors a community that they didn’t have previously.”
Abdulmujeeb used the template from last year, “asking for Muslim talent around the community, and scouted some ourselves.” Though he is now in a board position, he told Al-Hikmah he was once a vendor himself. He said that the long lines of people waiting for his booth, Nawabi Coffee, “was a really satisfying experience.”
Many vendors and customers enjoyed the bazaar and the opportunity for excitement but some feel there is always room for improvement. Achya Zobayer, a sophomore kinesiology major, said the bazaar “provides a great platform for the Muslim community here at UMD and [to] see what all of the small businesses are, just have a good time to walk around and enjoy with friends.”
She said that for next year’s bazaar “a bigger space or outdoors would allow room for more vendors in the future.”
She also mentioned that having the events be earlier would be easier for those who work, commute or have other commitments later in the evening.
“It’s just a great event for building community,” said Zobayer.
Image credits: Cover photo by Malaika Asif for Al-Hikmah.
Al-Hikmah 
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