I. Quran Competition

The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.” As Muslims, we must strive to memorize and learn the words of Allah as revealed to us in the Quran. In order to do so, the Muslim Student Association is dedicated to making the Quran a part of our lives on campus. One of our planned activities for next year is a Quran competition. This competition will not only be limited to memorization. It will include memorization, meaning explanation, and Tajweed, or pronunciation. The competition will be open to all college students in Newark. Insha’ Allah, this event will help initiate love and interest for the Quran and its memorization.

II. Freshman Orientation

A very vital part of the programs offered by our MSA include reaching out to incoming freshman. By getting freshman involved in all of our activities, we can prepare them for taking the reigns in the future. This year, we will achieve this through two activities. In NJIT Miniversity ©, NJIT’s yearly welcoming program for all incoming freshmen, we will present incoming freshman with the activities the MSA offers so that they may be active from the moment they step onto campus come fall semester. The second activity is a special MSA-run day-long program for all incoming Muslim freshman. This program will include special interactive sessions to prepare these students for college. It will also include a special information session on how to take advantage of financial aid and receive scholarships. This program is the first of its kind at NJIT and hopefully it can be a stepping stone for future events like this.

III. Jerusalem Night

As we all know, Jerusalem is a holy sight for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Under the banner of Jerusalem, the MSA plans on bringing together members of all three Abrahamic religions in an educational and breathtaking presentation entitled “The Significance of Jerusalem in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.” The main program will feature a Sheikh, Priest and Rabbi who will take the audience through paralleling and intertwining stories that will build bridges between religious
organizations. Afterwards, there will be procession /social which will feature food from the Holy Land. Slideshow of recent pictures will be displayed as well.

IV. Fund Raising Dinner

In an effort to raise funds, so that we may offer top-of-the-line programs and host speakers and Islamic Education Classes, we will need the support of communities and Muslims in the tri-state area. This Fund-raising dinner will attempt to replenish our financial supply as well as include entertainment and fun for the entire family. If you are interested in donating to any of the included events, or contributing any of the needed material, please email NJITMSA@gmail.com with your name and
contact information. Also, if you would like to have your voice or opinion heard, you may attend any of the agreed upon shuraa meetings which will be advertised in the appropriate semester.

V. Poetry Night

Due to the success of the last Poetry Night, we will Insha’allah have the same event next year, but plan on refining the program, adding more genres and increasing the Advertising.

VI. Band Pledge

In collaboration with the Rutgers Dawah effort, we would like to sponsor an event that would go on for at least a week and hopefully longer. The event would be open to Muslims and Non-Muslims alike. Any individual who wishes to participate would pledge to try harder not to lie,
cheat, take short cuts, procrastinate, backbite, drink (alcohol), etc in exchange for the practice of good morals. With the pledge, the student would receive a band to wear over a sleeve of a jacket, shirt, etc. With
proper advertizing and support, this will inevitably draw attention of students and faculty alike, spurring conversion, serving as an instant opportunity for Dawah. Since everyone is born on the Fitrah we must
understand that these good morals are innate and as such we must not neglect, but rather utilize this powerful Dawah device.

I. Ramadan Iftars

Due to night classes being offered five days a week, Muslim students sometimes find themselves in situations where they are going home late, and breaking there fast alone. The Iftars that are Offered Daily at NJIT provide Muslim students with a congregational Maghrib prayer followed
by a succulent Iftar in a time frame that will allow them to return to class in a timely fashion. Building ties between Muslims has always been a main focus of the MSA, and what better way of mingling with Muslims and building these ties then having meals with them? If you are interested in donating to the Iftar Initiative, there are approximately 70 students who attend every night, costing approximately $350 a night.

II. Fast-a-thon

The Fast-a-thon was a revolutionary idea to have Non-Muslims experience fasting and enjoy a dinner with Muslims afterwards. Numerous non-Muslims from the NJIT community stood up and spoke about there experiences fasting, creating a very comical atmosphere. Overall, it was very enjoyable, and thanks to Sahara Restaurant in Paterson, everyone had a delectable Mediterranean meal.

III. Dawah

Looking ahead, the Dawah Committee maintains all intentions to
continue and amplify the code followed in previous semesters. To build upon our on campus presence, we intend on sponsoring an Islamic Awareness Week event for the upcoming spring. In addition, the group intends to engage in more events which advocate branching, expanding our horizons and relations to off-campus and inter-campus settings. Starting with the coming semester, the Dawah effort will InshAllah be working with the commission of our neighboring Rutgers-Newark campus
to conjoin our Dawah and address even a broader pool of students in a college atmosphere. Furthermore, our board has scheduled tentative dates for potential outreach events to better our community through visits to our neighboring orphanages and homeless shelters. Such initiative demands sound preparation and as such our members have been working diligently to better there Islamic knowledge by assigning
informative texts to be read over the summer.

IV. Mentorship Program

“What Should I do?” “Where should I go?” “Who shall I talk to?” Those are the questions comprising the majority of the thoughts often contemplated by newly admitted college Freshman. In recognition of this campus-wide quandary, the MSA board members came together in order
to come up with a solution. Finally, after careful outlining and planning, the MSA devised a program in order to alleviate this stress frequently experienced by freshman, a program known as the Mentorship Program. The mentorship program is meant to serve the incoming Freshman class. The program will constitute a group of students from different majors and fields who shall serve as mentors. Mentors assist Freshman attain guidance throughout the commencement of their collegiate careers. Each incoming student desiring help shall be assigned a mentor who will act as a responsible older brother or sister, who the student can come to about school, home, financial problems etc. This program will be executed by mentors from multiple majors and fields, preferably juniors and seniors. Those mentors will then be assigned to individual students as necessary
in order to assist them throughout their transition to college and help make it as flawless as possible, thereby serving as a guidance station forall incoming freshman.

V. Girls Gym Hours

For the oncoming Fall 2009 Semester, the MSA would like to begin MSA Girls Gym hour, an hour every week where girls can have the entire gym and be able to work-out, and run without the anxiety of onlookers, or the stress of covering in the presence of men. The gym would be open to all women, much like Girls swim hour, the gym would be exactly the
same: except the users would all be female. At NJIT the ratio of men to woman is decreasing, but the number, relative to other universities is still somewhat large, having private Ladies hour at the gym would give a free
space where woman can come together, hang out, and have fun. The idea would work in the same manner the Murray, or Woman’s Center works, where the Center is reserved for woman to enjoy one another’s company in a ‘safe zone’ where friendships are forged in a setting that encourages personal growth and understanding. The ‘Ladies Gym Hour’ would also encourage many women who feel uncomfortable working out in front of men, for whatever reason, be it religious, or personal to
venture out and stay healthy and happy.

VI. Book Loan Program

As anyone who’s been to college knows, nothing is more
exasperating than having to pay extra money for increasingly expensive text books. One service that we will, Insha’ Allah, offer next year is a book loan program to help all Muslim college students on campus. The program will start with valuable donated text books that will be placed in a library in the MSA office. In order for sophomores, juniors, and seniors to be lent any of these books, they must pay five dollars and hand in a different usable book instead (in order to help keep the library running. As for freshman, all they need to do is pay five dollars to rent a book. Insha’ Allah this service will facilitate a more cooperative atmosphere
between the Muslims on campus and build strong brotherhood and sisterhood relationships.

VII. MSA Scholarship

In order for the NJIT Muslim community to prosper, both on and
off campus, most if not all the Muslim students must participate in the Muslim Student Association events and lend a hand whenever needed. This year, NJIT’s MSA experienced a particularly significant height in on
campus activism; the events and elections of last semester reached an all time high in attendance and participation from the Muslim community at NJIT. Such a turnout proves that the students are inshAllah willing to put in effort and make their aspirations come to life on campus. The MSA
Shura would like to further the Muslim population’s interests, and by doing so, more and more Muslim as well as non-Muslim students will begin to coexist within the community that fosters their education and
social needs. A scholarship program by the NJIT MSA will be initiated during the year of 2010 where the two most active non-Shura members will be awarded an agreed upon scholarship amount. Such a reward will not only help students financially, but encourage others to participate
and donate time and money within their community as well as learn from one another. Although the scholarship may be the reason behind new activism on their part, we hope that the Muslim students will eventually come to the realization that their Islamic volunteerism should be done purely for the sake of Allah (s.w.t). These two members will also qualify to join the Shura the following year.

VIII. Open Jummahs

One open Jum’ah was hosted during the Islam Awareness Week (IAW), in the NJIT Campus Center. It began by the recitation of Surah Al- Kahf, and then followed by the Friday Lecture. It gave the opportunity to students of other faiths to learn about the Islam and experience praying the way Muslims do. We hope to make this a more routine experience of
the Friday Lectures, Insha’alla.

IX. Halaqa’s

One of the best ways to help build brotherhood and sisterhood on campus as well as Islamic character is through Halaqas. Halaqas are weekly sittings that are held in the MSA office (or anywhere on campus)where Muslims students can come and increase their knowledge in Islam. In these Halaqas, the students read Qur’an, contemplate about its
meanings and learn about multitudes of various Islamic issues. Built on a very successful presence the last three years, the MSA will continue to offers these weekly Halaqas and they will be available to all Muslims on
campus.

For a full list, take a look at the MSA activities document in the Islamic Media section to the side of the page.