“Muslim Student Union (MSU) is coming back to Madison College!” writes Mouna Algahaithi, president of the Muslim Student Union, in an email interview. It’s been three years since Madison College has had such a union and Algahaithi is proud to have one again.

Their mission is simple. “To redefine Islam through educational, cultural activities and events, that address the increasingly Islamophobic atmosphere, perpetuated by false media and political narratives,” said Algahaithi.

Such activities include tabling events around campus where they will do henna tattoos, film screenings and spoken word slams as well as mock interviews they will turn into a series.

“We’re also currently planning an Islamic Lecture Series between the end of October to mid-November,” explains Algahaithi, “featuring local Islamic experts, who’ve volunteered to speak from the basics of Islam to deeper, misunderstood concepts like sharia, feminism, and terrorism.”

While Algahaithi has been putting the MSU together for a while now, it was an incident in the Student Achievement Center that accelerated her efforts.

The reflection rooms on campus, where Muslim students have gone in the past to pray, are currently under construction. With nowhere else to go, two Muslim men went to the Student Achievement Center for a quiet moment to pray. There, two other female students were seen by Algahaithi SnapChatting the men as they prayed.

“Without giving them any sort of privacy or respect, they kept looking over and laughing and chatting about the ‘strange yoga moves’ these men were doing,” explains Algahaithi.

Because of this she knew that a Muslim Student Union was more important than ever to Madison College.

“(It) really showed me the lack of knowledge surrounding my religion, even in a college setting where we would hope for better than that,” says Algahaithi. “Tying in with the terrible narrative of the mainstream media, I feel like it’s my obligation to be a representative of what Islam really means to a Muslim, and I’m hoping our group will be able to educate and heal ourselves, as well as those around us through powerful, engaging, and meaningful situations.”

Through fellowship and education, the Muslim Student Union hopes to make incidents like these a thing of the past.

“Ignorance, I like to believe, is most often due to lack of truthful knowledge, and we’re here to be true representatives of what Islam is all about,” says Algahaithi.

Meetings are Monday afternoons 2:30-3:30 in the Bamboo Room (Health Building room 131) and are open to all who wish to come.

“Don’t be afraid to come to our meetings!” exclaims Algahaithi. “It’s a group of sound, kind, individuals and we’re all very welcoming. Please come with any questions or biases you’re trying to unlearn, that’s part of why we’re here. We’re open-minded and hope you are, too.”

The MSU has a Facebook page and all students interested are encouraged to “like” it, so they can receive updates on events.

“In this often hateful and misunderstanding society, support and understanding amongst one another is so crucial,” says Algahaith, “and I hope that our club can contribute to de-stigmatizing Islam and the false narratives but also serve as a healing, safe, and meaningful place for Muslim students.”