Islam in the Big Apple

Every Monday night, 12 people — mostly NYU students — gather in the basement of St. Joseph's Church on Sixth Avenue, take off their shoes and sit in a circle to discuss the relationship between Islam and charity.

These people are enrolled in "Practicing Islam in the Big Apple," a student-run, discussion-based forum focused on religious issues relevant to Muslim students.

The class reflects the growing number of resources available for students who practice Islam at NYU. In 2000, NYU's Islamic Center consisted of a small space on the top floor of the Loeb Center. Then, there was only one club for Muslim students. But today the center has a larger space at St. Joseph's and consists of nine different student clubs. The center also hosts 20 to 30 events per week and offers a variety of classes, social events and community service opportunities.

Khalid Latif, the Islamic Center's chaplain and executive director, attributes the increased activity at the center to a growth in NYU's Muslim student population by 500 percent to 600 percent in the last few years.

"When I was an undergraduate, there was just one group that was responsible for everything," Latif said.

Stern senior Sahal Kango, who helped introduce the "Practicing Islam in the Big Apple" class, said the resources the Islamic Center offers are valuable to Muslim students at NYU.

"It's very hard to find a group of people or to find a community where you can be yourself," Kango said. "It's really important to have an inclusive environment where anyone can come and learn. It puts you face to face with other Muslims, so it gives you more confidence living your day-to-day life."

Other Muslim students said they are happy with what both the center and New York City itself have to offer in regard to their Muslim identity. CAS freshman Saba Gill, who is majoring in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, said New York City was refreshing compared to her more conservative hometown in Georgia.

"Everyone knows what Halal food is," Gill said. "Everyone knows that we fast. It's a lot easier to be Muslim here."

But other students said practicing Islam in New York City is sometimes challenging. Tarek Elginda, a first-year GSAS student, said while New York has a large Muslim population, the general attitude in the city has sometimes been less welcoming than in his hometown in Wisconsin.

"It's much more difficult here to smile at someone and get a smile back," Elginda said, adding that showing kindness toward others is "an integral part of Islam."

Classes like "Practicing Islam in the Big Apple" can help with these challenges. During the class's Oct. 26 discussion, Kango offered some words of advice: "It's good enough to know that we're following in the best footsteps. Charity is every single action you do."

Samantha Cook is a staff writer.