I know this may be a sensitive topic, but this is my opinion. All around the world, educational institutes have Muslim Student Associations, high-schools, colleges, universities. They’re motive to be a group is to promote Islam, to be apart of a muslim association and I believe that is one of the best things a person can do for themselves. Join a gathering that is for the sake of Good, for religion. It’s to help oneself learn new things, be a part of activities and show others that Islam is not a violent, nor negative. That said, I am not a part of the MSA, nor do I ever intend to be. I use the office for my daily prayers; I meet the people for greetings and to listen to the beneficial lectures.
The MSA’s in my schools and the ones that I know of have taken Islam and have given it a whole new twist to fit their own comfort. Please understand that people around you are taking that in, viewing you as a muslim and not just a person while your apart of that group. I feel that people take the topic of Islam and make it seem like this “fun and exciting” religion and make it out to be something that it is not. Islam is a beautiful religion that promotes good and forbids wrong. To be quite honest, I now see the MSA as a social network of flirting/dating service with the so called “sisters and brothers”. Islam is about modesty and how in the world are you showing modesty and hijab if the “brothers” and the “sisters” are spending time together, with or without the sake of the MSA activities. Then the formal gatherings also consist of the males and females together looking their best. Please don’t sit there and tell me that you’re doing all this for the sake of Allah, even if your intention is at the right place, your actions are definitely speaking otherwise. People don’t understand how much their actions effect the look of Islam. I’ve spoken to several people who are NOT muslim asking me why dating or friendship with the opposite gender is not allowed because they went to a dinner at MSA’s and viewed it being done. People who are in post-secondary education are the generation of today, they are the ones who take in and speak up. Why not take Islam and show its true beauty that’s based of having firm faith in Allah, salaah, the importance of knowledge, dikr, the importance of intention, the importance of treating people right. Why not follow on the step of Rasulullah (s.a.w) and promote that, instead of wasting time and money on formal functions, games, events for nothing but for the sake of Fun. Spend that money and create events that are meant to touch someone’s heart and change their life. As a group, have a goal to change yourself as well as others. Keep your modesty, and stop walking around giving the brothers giddy eyes and looking for reasons to borrow their pen. What a waste with these stupid petty comedy nights and flirty -tee-hee-hee-giggle-giggle wars between the girls and the guys.
I say this because countless time, I’ve had conversations with Non-muslims about Islam and it makes me so angry that they think a certain way about Islam because of the MSA! Islam doesn’t upgrade every year, it is the way it is and the way it is, it’s beautiful, wonderful!
At first I used to laugh about it, but now it just makes me angry enough to say all this! I’m no extremist; we make excuses for ourselves so we can do things without feeling like their wrong.
You feel me...
