This week Sidney Smith Hall will play host to the annual Islam Awareness Week hosted by the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA). The theme of this year’s event is “The Muslim Mind,” and will probe into the rational foundation of the Islamic faith. While many people believe that religion with its sentiments and emotions, cannot co-exist with rational thought. Jamal Seif, the Outreach coordinator of the MSA, said that the week’s events aim to show that “there is no dichotomy between rationality and the Islamic faith within the mind of Muslims.” He hopes that people will see that the Islamic faith is not one of mere actions and blind faith, but rather that the Quran, Islam’s holy scripture, explicitly bridges the gap between reason and faith.
All week, there will be informational displays, as well as Muslim students present to answer questions and try to bust the stereotypes. And, to suit those more inclined towards satisfying the hunger of the appetite as opposed to a ‘hunger of knowledge”, there will be a multicultural food sale all week at the exhibit, with dishes from various parts of the Islamic world.
The week-long event will feature a range of seminars, lectures, and movie screenings at Sid Smith and University College. Tuesday’s seminar, “Faith and Rationality” in Sid Smith (Rm. 2127) will discuss the relationship between these two concepts. Thursday’s seminar at University College (Rm. 179) will show an often forgotten aspect of Islamic culture-art and literature. The seminar, entitled, “Poetry and Expression in the Islamic Tradition,” aims to share with students the rich and intricate use of art in Islam throughout history. Wednesday will feature a screening of the PBS documentary “Empire of Faith,” which gives an elaborate and complete historical narrative on the culture and history of Islamic empire. The culmination of the week will be on Friday at the lecture entitled “Living for Something Greater: Islam’s Vision of Morality” by well known lecturer and scholar Dr. Jamal Badawi from St. Mary’s University in Halifax.
Islam Awareness Week has become an international event that takes place across university campuses all over Canada and the United States. The objective of this weeklong event is to provide a forum to educate people about Islam and Muslims. It allows people to engage in discussions, hear knowledgeable speakers, and learn more about the faith of over one billion people around the world. Seif feels that the event will be a success if by the end of the week, people on campus are able to “increase their awareness and knowledge of Islam.”
