Tag: islam
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Freedom and surveillance: How a government loses moral legitimacy
Terrorism is on the rise — only this time the culprits are more sinister than ever before. While society pledges to “never forget” monumental tragedies such as 9/11 or the Holocaust, there remains a perplexing tendency to overlook contemporary terrorism and other state-sanctioned atrocities. Over the past five years, from Sudan to Lebanon, Palestine to…
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Student-organized “Halal Food Fest” showcases cultural dishes
By: Noor Awan Student club Muslim Women in Medicine (MWM) hosted a “Halal Food Fest” on the afternoon of Friday, April 17, 2026 in Hornbake Plaza for students and community members. The event brought many organizations together to showcase their traditional food as well as sell popular halal snacks and drinks to UMD students. Along…
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Students gather to commemorate Palestinians displaced during Nakba
A partition decorated in phrases such as “To exist is resist” and “UMD Divest Now” stood tall on McKeldin Mall as students painted olives, Palestinian flags, and resistance slogans on kites and banners. More than 50 students gathered for the Nakba remembrance event organized by the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Students for Justice in Palestine…
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The ethical dilemma in community fundraising
By: Sulayman Khan For Al-Hikmah Sulayman Khan is a bioengineering student at the University of Maryland and President of SCALE, a student organization that advocates for underserved elementary school students by hosting science competitions to spark interest in STEM. Across the Muslim community’s institutions, schools, mosques and nonprofits alike, a pattern incredibly dangerous to ignore…
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Islam and hunger: Why do you fast?
“O ye who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was [the nations] past that you attain God-conciousness.” Quran 2:183 Guy Fieri once remarked, “Food is maybe the only universal thing that has the power to really bring everyone together.” At a time when all we can notice is our differences, food reminds…
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A UMD student’s guide to Ramadan on campus
As the first days of Ramadan unfold, Muslim students have changed their daily routine. Muslim students across campus are partaking in a month filled with fasting and worship alongside their usual duties as a college student. Ramadan is the ninth month in the lunar Islamic Calendar. Its arrival marks a holy month for Muslims in…
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UMD students provide healthcare to rural communities in Uzbekistan
Several Muslim students at the University of Maryland participated in a two-week medical outreach internship and provided healthcare services to rural communities in Uzbekistan from Jan. 6 to Jan. 20, 2026 through a partnership with the program Volunteers Around the World (VAW) Global Health Alliance. The seven students worked alongside healthcare professionals to offer medical…
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What the Janazah reveals about American pluralism
By Hala Mowafi In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Muslim families across the United States faced a new hardship: prohibiting their loved ones from burial in time in accordance to Islamic obligations (Bukhari 1315). Some funeral homes refused to handle bodies without embalming, despite clear religious objections. Others advocated for cremation as the…
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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…
Al-Hikmah 