The media often portrays Muslims as a homogenous mass of people lacking individuality, which can result in misconceptions and stereotypes. Mass media often confounds the problem by playing into these stereotypes.
The following article will take you through the experiences of five Muslim students on the University of Wisconsin campus, who come from diverse backgrounds and shared their stories.
Khalid Abdl-Haleem, Senior
“Being a Muslim on this campus has been a positive experience … I find the overall campus climate is very supportive of diversity in general. However … there is a general depiction of religious groups/students, as less tolerant. This is somewhat exacerbated with Islam.
“Ignorance of Islam coupled with the propensity for the media to focus on sensational news which depicts Muslims as a sexist group possessed by a community-wide medieval psychosis leads much of the population of UW to have reservations when dealing with Muslims, even if they do not buy all of the misinformation out there. While this doesn’t manifest itself often enough to be a serious concern, it does affect the way I feel on campus.”
“On my father’s side I am … from Palestine, and on my mother’s I am … from Ireland and I am told that I take my looks from that side. A more stereotypical-looking Muslim might have the experience of discrimination in everyday life, something that I cannot attest to. I can say that a stronger push to educate people in regard to Islam would serve to alleviate any pressures I might feel as a Muslim in UW-Madison.”
Alaa Fleifel, Senior
“It is not difficult for others to identify me as a Muslim since I wear the Hijab … In high school no one assumed I was Muslim whereas now it’s evident. Overall, my experience as a Muslim on campus has been a rollercoaster of emotions. The [Multiculture Student Center] on campus has been a resource for Muslims to express concerns and in the past has reached out during difficult times. I appreciate the accommodations and sympathy, but one thing I find lacking is empathy.”
“Identifying as a minority in a predominantly white campus has brought conflicting feelings. I am able to connect and rejoice being a minority with other minorities, but I have never felt that to be the case with those who are not. Though this university puts forth efforts to be inclusive, I don’t believe my feelings while on this campus have been reflective of that.”
Andy Diaz, Sophomore
“I converted to Islam when I was 15 years old. Now that I’m more mature as a person, I feel a lot more comfortable about my identity as a Muslim. Back then I was scared about telling people I was Muslim for fear they might judge me as a terrorist and not like me anymore. Most people I meet would never know that I am Muslim anyways until I tell them. I don’t have a Muslim sounding name, my family does not come from a Muslim country, so when they do find out they’re very surprised. Being here in UW-Madison and finding the MSA as a community has definitely given me more confidence about being true to myself and what I believe in and not be afraid. I hope to educate people on what Islam is; that we are just like everyone else, and that we come from diverse backgrounds as well.”
Akmal Hakim, Junior
“Coming from a Muslim country, I never understood life as a minority. No matter how much I disagreed with myself, I often associated that type of life with oppression and assimilation. Thus, I’d always wanted to experience what it feels like to be among the few.”
“Now, I have learned that being a minority means that we stand out among the rest which allows us to show the beauty of Islam to the world. It means that we do not take our traditions and values for granted. It also means that we are more united as brothers and sisters. Thanks to the Muslim community in UW-Madison, I have never felt prouder to admit that I am a Muslim.”
Jehad/Joe Ramahi, Senior
“At first I couldn’t really think of too much since I look white and go by Joe, but either way I’d still like to contribute. This is one of the top party schools in the nation and there are a lot of opportunities on campus that would obviously challenge my faith as a Muslim. However, when people find out I’m Muslim they understand and respect that. Most people here are tolerant and open minded.”
The purpose of this article was to allow students to share what they felt comfortable about their experiences as Muslim students on this campus. A human aspect must be added to the constant barrage of media attention Muslims receive. A good place to start is with Muslims themselves.
Isha Hammad ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in sociology and Mehak Qureshi ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in international studies.
