This week, the Islamic Society has been raising awareness of their religion and offering a range of activities for students to take part in, in order to gain an understanding of what Islam is all about.
During the day the society set up a stall on campus for students to visit and do things like try a hijab (head scarf), learn to write in Arabic calligraphy, have henna done and try traditional sweets from around the world.
In the evening, the society screened documentaries and held special lectures which looked into various aspects of Islam, such as Sharia law and the relationship between Islam and feminism.
HerCampus spoke to Mariam Faghirzade and Ayesha Chaudry about being a Muslim at university. Mariam said that she sometimes gets funny looks because of her hijab: “People sometimes stare but I don’t mind because I’m proud to be a Muslim.”
Ayesha said discrimination against Muslims is still a massive problem, “People treat us differently because the media portrays us negatively. People associate terrorism with Islam, but not all Muslims are like that! It’s only a small minority which gives Islam a bad name.”
Hearing about the prejudice the Muslim Community has to face every day highlights the need for events like this, so that students from all backgrounds have a better understanding of eachother and can make the most of the university experience.