QC Muslim Students Association - Essay Example

QC Muslim Association It is impossible to imagine high schools without such a backbone as students clubs and organizations. They provide opportunities that are useful for the students, the school district, and even the community, although these activities do not attract so much attention as the others. “Clubs such as Muslim Learning Club, Muslim Student Association and Islamic culture club are but a few examples” of a wide range of pieces of the Muslim culture (Gutmann 143). Today, my aim is to “decide the fate of” Muslim club in the Queen`s College. It brings together more than two hundred people and has already been in existence for more than fifty years. Of course, the club fulfills its responsibilities as well as other similar organizations all over the world. However, lets see how good directly Islamic clubs are in which the unifying and underlying factor is the religion. The first point which College administration can pay attention at, is how do participating in the Club influences the studying. Currently a lot of talks are about the wonders of the Quran. This topic is interesting from the point of view of science. Through research many of the events are proved basing on scientific facts, as well as wonderful prophecy. In the verses of the Quran there are truthful revelations that came true and continue to come true nowadays. It may sound surprising, in the Quran there is no blind faith and fear, and it is based on the principle of calling people to think, learn and take responsibility for their actions. Do not forget what a huge contribution to the development of society Muslim scholars did. The Muslims became the founders of such sciences as arithmetic, analytic geometry, spherical trigonometry and planar. The vast majority of Muslim scholars were pious people. According to Islamic laws, every believer should strive for knowledge. The first Muslims differed not only by fear of God, but also the freedom of thinking, readiness to accept new, for example, in the technology. Quran affects a lot of sciences - astronomy, physics, geography, geology, oceanography, biology, botany, zoology, history, medicine and physiology (Fatoohi 86). Thus it is interesting for scientists from different areas (Fatoohi 91). Europe was still in the dark ages, when the religious Muslims invited their first discoveries. A lot of important things were brought to Europe from Muslim regions, “such as Arabic numerals with the principle of the zero vital to the advancement of mathematics and the use of algebra” (Fatoohi 91). The idea of promotion of adequate education for its citizens is a requirement of a truly Islamic government. “Education is a right for all individuals and the required moral duty of every capable Muslim” (Asad 212). So, intelligent, able and skilled people of the Islamic society do not hesitate to educate themselves – this is not only religious education, they are required to get knowledge in worldly affairs they need. Moreover, it is obligatory to study beneficial fields of science for every qualified Muslim. If society has a need in doctors, for example, some people do not refuse the government requirement to go into the medicine area to fulfill this necessity. The development because of advancements in science and technology of the Muslim world was among the available ways which led to their prosperity. Islam requires Muslims to pursue knowledge just in the literal sense of the word. “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim” is written in Koran. “For one who treads a path to knowledge, Allah will make easy the path to Paradise”, these are the words of Prophet Muhammad. Scientific Muslims rise was available because of the following factors: Freedom of scientific opinion - for the entire period of Islam no Muslim scholar was persecuted or tortured because of his scientific views, as it was done with scientists in Europe in the early modern scientific recovery; care of the state of science and scientists, generous spending on them, respecting of their activity and attention to their work and discoveries; mental capacity of these scientists and their diligence and persistence in learning and creating their scientific works. This opinion is shared by the club members. Well, Muslim Association can be excellent chose because, as you can see, it does not lead to the conflict between science and religion, it makes it just impossibility for religion comes from God and the progress is made according to His system of creation and development. Another question than can`t be mentioned is how is the club related to the women? From the very existence of Islam there were more stringent requirements to women than men, especially if we judge by todays standards. However the Queen`s College club did not deprive women with attention. Among its members there are many girls, and none feels offended. Of course, men and women have separate rooms for prayers and the studying process does not suffer, as they tried to make the curriculum reconciled. Woman in theory may even become president of the Muslim`s club, although this has not yet had the precedents. However, Muslim women even do not tend to occupy high positions, enjoying meetings and the opportunity to be themselves and to pray to their God. Such a large student`s club, according to opinion of participants, has a well-organized structure. The president is the head of the club, today Khalil Noory occupies this post, then drill down is followed by the vice president Susan Kal, treasurer Haris Mahmood and secretary Mahrukh Ahmed. Muslim club chooses his leaders in a democratic way – by election. This event is happening every year what helps the club to get “fresh forces”. Club teaches students the value of Islam, which helps student not to get involved into bad habits. Surrounded by interesting people and joined be the common idea they even do not think about such dangerous “hobbies” as drinking or smoking, their behavior and mind are forming in another way. The club can be also represented as another way of having fun. Belonging to a club, students get experiences of some of the best times and memories. They help to feel the spirit of unity and enjoyment, feeling by most students, who participate in such formations. Clubs and organizations give students a lot of positive experiences that can associate them to become well-rounded members of society who are ready to continue education in college or go the workplace. Joining a club can be one of the best decisions that a student can ever make. The benefit of participation in the QCMSA (Queen`s College Muslim Student Association) is giving the student a chance to lead his mates and get experience in organizational sphere. These activities often offer the chance to meet new people, to make friends. They practically guarantee one common area of interests. “Once students have something in common, school becomes a more positive place to be. Clubs serve as a positive outlet for students to socialize” (“Benefits of Joining Clubs” web). Participating in the QCMSA is an excellent motivation for younger students. It is in a people`s psychology, if one sees somebody volunteering as part of a club in a positive way, he wants to join the school and society in such way also. These activities give opportunities to students to study not just by concentrating on academic sciences. Sometimes it is possible to meet famous guest speakers at club`s meetings. In fact participants can meet every day between prayers, having planned, for example, pizza party. Club`s main aim is to help new student to fit in the new school environment, to feel home at college. the QCMSA helps the Muslim students to live according to the Quran religion and preserve their Muslim`s identity. Club members are not fixated only on their college; they visit other Muslim organizations and are allowed to join other clubs of interest. They travel to different college to attend events of religious speakers. In that way it is also possible to attract new members. Leadership of the club provides students with Islamic Literature. It tries to strengthen the link among Muslim people, as the participants - Fatima Khan and Ali Aermer - told in the interview. Participating in the club is useful for understanding Muslim and Non-Muslim students. They discuss their feeling and other pertinent problems. They try to find how to comply with their religion and their surroundings. It also gives them opportunity to pray their obligatory prayers legally and usually clubs are not oriented politically. The club creases Islamic awareness providing Muslims and Non-Muslims with qualified speakers on Islam (QUMSA web). In the club “Non-Muslim folk that are trying to understand Islam better to remove their misunderstandings, how the Prophet Muhammad practiced the faith of Islam. His ways were by dialogue and by propagating peaceful practices with different community members, non-Muslims, Jews, Christians” (Howell web). In this way the club interacted with students. It also has many fund raising events for helping poor or disaster event even such as sandy. Involvement in the QCMSA is a positive outlet for the energy of students. It makes them be more active and positive when they have an occupation for “the soul” (“Boarding Schools Guide” web). Now the participants have only two rooms in the campus and receive 7000 dollar a year. In my opinion, the funding reduce or prohibit the lead new members to the club is the wrong conclusion from the above. Since the club has strong positions, the fact is undeniable that participating in the club is a great opportunity to feel that you talents are recognized, that they make profit for community interaction. It is a chance to feel the gratification of the work they do and helping others. If funding remains at the same level, the Club will not be offended and will understand this administration`s position. However the support of the creation and development of a Muslim club can also be evaluated as a possible contribution to the development of the mankind, so I vote for increase of funding. “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and not be divided among yourselves” (Quran 3; 103) - these words can be the strongest argument of the Muslim Association. Works Cited Gutmann A. Multiculturalism: Examining the politics of recognition. Princeton, Universiry Press, 1994. Print. Louay Fatoohi and Shetha al-Dargazelli, History Testifies to the Infallibility of the Quran: Early History of the Children of Israel, Adam Publishers & Distributors, 1999. Print. Marijane Suttor “Benefits of Joining High School Clubs”, www.educationspace360.com, September 14, 2010, Web. Talal Asad “Genealogies of Religion: Discipline and Reasons of Power in Christianity and Islam” Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993. Print. The Alma Mater Society: Helping Students Get More From the Queens Experience “Queens University Muslim Students Association (QUMSA)” myams.org Web. Trevor Howell “Muslim students association aims to Stop the CrISIS” calgaryherald.com November 24, 2014. Web. Read More