Muslim students at Stevens have long faced challenges in balancing their faith and academics due to a lack of community, resources, and accommodations. These struggles ultimately inspired the creation of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), which has since become a much-needed support system, fostering a sense of belonging, providing academic and spiritual resources, and advocating for greater inclusivity on campus. The club fulfills its goal of uplifting Muslim students by offering “Friday (Jummah) prayer offered on campus, various halal dining options, and bi-weekly social and educational events available to all students,” said President Nusiba Zaman. These efforts are not only for academic, professional, and religious growth for Muslim students, but they also cultivate a more understanding and inclusive campus culture, bridging gaps between diverse communities and promoting mutual respect and collaboration.
The MSA offers several subgroups, providing Muslim students with diverse opportunities to engage in ways that resonate with their interests and needs. Whether through social events, educational programs, or faith-based activities, these subgroups allow students to tailor their involvement, allowing more intimate settings to form strong relationships.
Ramadan stands as one of the most sacred periods in Islamic culture, observed during the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. It commemorates the revelation of the Holy Quran, which is believed to have been sent down from heaven as a source of divine guidance, offering direction, wisdom, and salvation to all of humanity. The MSA has planned many initiatives and events throughout the month of Ramadan to allow students to observe the holy month alongside their fellow students. These events are designed to accommodate both on-campus students and commuters, offering flexible timing and accessible locations to ensure everyone can participate in the spiritual and communal aspects of Ramadan. The most popular of these events are the iftars, meals eaten after sunset that break the fasts during Ramadan. The club provides food for these events as well as a space for prayer. The annual Eid Iftar is a special event sponsored by the Office of Student Culture & Belonging and involving members of both Amnesty and Student Justice for Palestine (SJP). It involves workshops and fundraisers “to raise both awareness and money for important causes around the world,” says Zaman.
MSA has usually been a small club, but through intimate Taraweeh prayers, the community has been able to grow and touch the lives of many Muslim students at Stevens. “This year our MSA has grown a significant amount and we’ve been able to share our sense of belonging and community on a larger scale and create a welcoming environment for Muslims students that can tend to get very homesick during Ramadan. We hope to create a mini second home for them here through our collective efforts to get closer to our religion,” says Zaman.
In addition to spiritual gatherings, the club hosts a variety of social events, such as Boba Movie Night and Paint Night, fostering camaraderie and connection among all members of the Stevens community. The MSA also organizes student-led spiritual lectures, known as Halaqahs, where students explore personal topics tied to their lives and faith. These gatherings encourage meaningful dialogue around themes like personal growth, mental well-being, and ethical values, creating a space for reflection and understanding that resonates with individuals of all faiths and backgrounds. The student body has contributed to the mission of the MSA by donating to their fundraisers, “such as bake sales and henna sales, which help raise funds for humanitarian efforts in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Palestine”, says Zaman.
The MSA participates in the Interfaith Summit, an every-semester event where religious organizations on campus come together to speak and share their cultures. This allows students to educate themselves on traditions and customs from other religions. Tabling events like ‘What is Ramadan’ educate the campus community about the holiday while offering students the chance to ask Muslim peers questions, fostering understanding and inclusivity through open dialogue. “Hijab Day” is an event meant to educate students on the importance of the hijab, where non-Muslims are encouraged to try one on themselves. Sharing their culture through these initiatives and others allows all students to engage in educational and emotional conversations about faith and identity.
