Assalamu Alaikum,
Dear Muslim students:
Welcome to MSA National's December edition of the E-letter! If you have an MSA success story or would like to share MSA news, we would love to hear from you. The deadline for submissions is the 15th of each month.
Please send all submissions to eletter@msanational.org.
We are also pleased to inform you that the E-letter is now accepting advertisements. To advertise in the E-letter, contact: advertise@msanational.org
Please note: MSA National does not endorse and is not responsible for any of the activities, events and projects listed in the E-letter other than those organized by MSA National itself.
Thank-you,
Your E-letter Team
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| From the President's Desktop |
From the President's Desktop
By Asma Mirza
January 2008
Salams
MSAers! I pray everyone had a wonderful winter break and is getting settled
into the spring semester.
Before I
begin this month's President's Desktop, I'd like to ask you to join me in continuing
to pray for those suffering in Gaza. On January 10th MSA National
participated in the "Let Gaza Live" National March in Washington,
DC where over 50,000 people from all different
walks of life called for peace in Gaza. Thousands of people also participated in the
MSA National Day of Fast on January 15th in solidarity with the
people of Gaza. It was amazing to read the feedback of the
people who spent the day fasting and praying for and end to the violence.
To express
our growing concerns, MSA National representatives also met the U.S. Department
of State. After discussing the need for
a greater U.S.
condemnation of the violence and a quick end to the humanitarian crisis, a
Senior State Department Official outlined the U.S. Government's efforts to bring
a swift resolution to the suffering of civilians. We hope to continue working with and
expressing our concerns to the State Department as well as other members of the
US
and Canadian Government.
This month, MSA National also had the opportunity to participate
in many ways in the US Presidential Inauguration. As MSA National President, I personally had the opportunity to attend several events. See the article later on in this Eletter to
read all about MSA National's participation in the National Day of Service, Inauguration and more!
Alhamduillah,
over winter break your MSA National officers were hard at work. Myself, Br.
Mohamed Sheibani, Sr. Zaynab Khan and Sr. Asma Bala attended the RIS Convention
in Toronto, Canada where I had the opportunity
to meet with several MSAers. Shortly
after the convention, MSA National officers attended our annual midterm meeting
in Virginia. We spent the weekend evaluating our progress
and planning for the Spring semester.
I'd like to thank all the members of the ADAMS
community who cooked for and housed MSAers to help MSA National save
money. Their hospitality was
overwhelming and reminded all of us that the Muslim Community in North America was built through the sacrifice of so many
generous individuals.
A week
later Br. Tauqeer and I met with the Steering Committee for the 2009 MSA
National East Zone USA Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Masha'Allah I was impressed by the enthusiasm
and organization of the committee. I
look forward to the conference and hope to see you all there!
As we head
into Zonal Conference season, I pray everyone benefits from their Spring
Semester!
Wassalams!
Asma Mirza
President
MSA National
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Updates From Your Zonal Reps
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West Zone USA
Salaam WestZone!
Just reporting that we are working diligently on bringing you the best WestZone Conference yet insh'Allah! The University of Colorado Boulder will be hosting the event bi ithn illah and we hope to advertise with all details in February. The WestZone Conference will be held in March this year. For those of you interested in helping in any way, feel free to contact mewzrepusa@msanational.org. I appreciate your continued contact with me. Your emails about your MSA programs and successes really make me proud to be a zonal representative, so please keep them coming. I again apologize for not getting back to people who emailed me in December just now in January but exams were bogging me down. I hope to also keep our zonal website as the main mode of communication for all upcoming, exciting events in our zone. If you have pictures or stories you want to include, email me and we'll see if we can put them up. I'm very proud of the WestZone and hope to see you all at our zonal conference in March insh'Allah. More details to follow shortly.
Yasmin Elhady
West Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
East Zone USA
As-salam `alaykum East Zone USA,
As most of you may have heard East Zone USA's conference is just a few months away. In preparation for this year's conference Sr. Asma Mirza and I visited Philadelphia and met with the local committee of this year's conference. I can say with confidence, masha'Allah, that we are working with a very dedicated group of individuals who are trying their hardest to make this one of the best conferences in East Zone history. This year's venue is like none before. University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology and Anthropology will be the site of our conference and is located in the heart of Philadelphia. Not only will this be a totally unique and enriching experience, it will also have a metropolitan vibe.
As we our finalizing our main speakers and scholars who will be attending this year's conference and setting up the registration, I ask you all to help get the word out for the conference this year and to invite all your friends and local MSA's to attend. The dates again will be April 10-12th so book your travel arrangements now! If you have any questions please do feel free to email me at ezrepusa@msanational.org and keep an eye out for the Facebook event entitled 2009 MSA National East Zone USA Conference http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46114772085). Please do keep your eyes and ears open for updates, as they will be coming soon! I assure you this year's conference will not be one you will want to miss!
Barak'Allahu feekum,
Tauqeer Zaidi
East Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
email: ezrepusa@msanational.org
website: http://ezusa.msanational.org/
Central Zone USA
Assalamualaikum!
Insha'Allah the semester is going well for everyone!
In MSA News, the CIOGC hosted the Chicago MSA Summit on January 24th, an exciting initiative where Chicago and other Illinois MSA's came together to connect and collaborate, reminding myself just what Muslim Student spirit is all about and just what the power of networking and engaging with others can do for our community.
Let me know if your region is interested in hosting similar initiatives this semester insha'Allah!
The Central Zone has a few upcoming exciting projects and initiatives we'd like to offer. MSA National 101, what is MSA National? Interested in learning more about the history of MSA National and the resources they offer? The Central Zone is offering to set up virtual presentations where your MSA members can learn more and ask any questions they may have about MSA National or any of the services they offer. If interested, please e-mail me back so we can coordinate. Keep posted with updates as other projects the Zonal committee is working on will be announced shortly!
Lastly, the COMPASS PATH program will insha'Allah be held in the Central Zone very soon! Keep posted for the date and area; it may be in a community near you!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, I'm only an e-mail away!
Wa Alaikum as Salam
Nura Sediqe
Central Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
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| Muslim Students Stand for Peace in Palestine
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Catastrophe
brings us together, and the massacre in Gaza has illustrated this
most bittersweet motif. Around the globe communities from every
background have organized a multitude of events to express their
distaste for the politics involved, and the deep sadness for the
lives lost. MSA National joined the call for action with a diverse
set of events covering the span of human emotions involved in such
tragic times.  Often the
first emotion drawn from a person during a crisis, such as that in
Gaza, is commonly anger and frustration. Rarely are sensations such
as these capable of contributing to constructive causes, but when
expressed in a manner that can bring attention to such calamitous
conditions they can breed hope and concern. That was the essence of
the rally and march hosted by the ANSWER group and co-sponsored by
MSA National on Saturday, January 10th in Washington DC.
Thousands of caring and conscious citizens both Muslim and people of other faiths
alike marched down the streets of DC braving freezing temperatures to
show solidarity and support for their fellow brothers and sisters in
Palestine.  MSA National's Political Action Task Force (PATF) member,
Irfan Shuttari and PATF Chair, Asma Rehman, addressed the
audience calling an end to the occupation and bringing awareness to
the unlawful targeting of schools and places of learning by the
Israeli army. Hundreds of students marched side by side, as part of
the student contingent at the rally, under banners made by the
students themselves, in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Aside
from the vivid image and impact caused by masses of people standing
for a cause, MSA students across the US and Canada participated in an MSA Call to Action to contact their Senators, Representatives and Members of Parliament to demand action to be taken to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. MSA National officers also met with members of the US Department of State to express their concerns and work towards a solution to bring peace and end the humanitarian crisis.
When
reality sets in, and the victims of the tragedy begin to weigh
heavily on the mind, the next emotion drawn is sadness. At the MSA National
co-sponsored candle light vigil, the lights of the candles
illuminating the dark DC night as a solemn reminder of the men,
women, and children that died in the bombings and assaults. Silent
remembrance and reflection is perhaps the greatest provocation for
personal inspiration. Hundreds of citizens turned out on a bitterly
cold New Years Eve to show their support.
But
what use are these expressions of human emotions if only heard by
men? The greatest gift granted to Muslims is the use of prayer, and
MSA National arranged a way where we can amplify this power. To
complete the expanses of human emotion, MSA National called for a National Day of Fast for the casualties in Gaza, the prospect of
peace, and hope for humanity on Thursday, January 15th. MSAs and Islamic Centers from
around the country participated in this most spiritual solidarity,
and perhaps the history of abstaining from food for peace was on our
side, as Ghandi did for the British occupation of India, we did this
for the occupation of Palestine.
Human
emotions are a natural reminder that we are in fact, human. When
uncontrolled, we may have the tendency to be blinded and enraged.
But when channeled and focused, they can be the greatest tools in
any arsenal to change the world we live in. Insh'Allah we used and will continue to use this tool wisely: to catalyze peace, to pray for the victims, and to
leave a lasting awareness that we are an Ummah united, and one death
unjust is the death of humanity - and this becomes and ideal
felt, not only spoken. |
MSA National Participates in 2009 US Inaugural Events
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January 20, 2009
witnessed the historic event of the 44th US President's Inauguration. The Washington Mall was awash with record number
crowds that stretched two miles, all to participate in the swearing
in of the nation's first black president. This event has a
marked sense of hope in a time where the economy is in a downturn,
our nation is at war, and record jobs are being lost. MSA National
also joined in the festivities with many members and national
officers invited to the Inaugural Opening Ceremonies, Inauguration, the National Prayer Service as well as participating
in the Muslim Inaugural Gala, an event hosted by the Congressional
Muslim Staffers Association and the Washington Academic Leadership
Institute. The organizers of the gala honored Muslims students
around the country by requesting MSA National President Asma Mirza to
speak. 
Addressing the
crowd, Mirza spoke candidly about the current struggles Americans
have been facing, and went into further detail on Muslims'
responses to these struggles. Touched with the promise of change and
hope, she spoke of how Muslim students all around the country came
together in events such as the MSA National Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign, and
president Obama's National Day of Service. MSA National was
also honored by an invitation to participate in the National Prayer
Service on Wednesday, January 21st. The 2 hour service at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC featured religious leaders of different backgrounds from around the country, including Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of ISNA. Participants included the President and First Lady, the Vice President, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Imam Mohamed Magid, members of Congress, and other national religious leaders.
Martin Luther
King Day marked both the remembrance of a great American leader, and
President Obama's National Day of Service. On this day over
twenty MSAs around the country participated in various community
service projects that can be found on the Inauguration website
alongside other service organizations. The website allowed the
public to search for service projects in their communities, and
encouraged participation. The President himself helped paint a youth
center in an impoverished area. We must recognize that hope and the
changes to come are not up to one man, but to us, and those who
catalyze positivity in our environments by continuing to serve the
communities around us.
This year the
Muslim community and the Muslim Student Association have been an
integral part this nation's history. We pray our involvement and
recognition will grow with our continual service towards our
nation for the sake of Allah. We pray for a better future for
all Americans, and ask that our members continue in the pursuit of
making positive impacts for there local communities.
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MSA National does not endorse and is not responsible for any of the activities, events and projects listed in the E-letter other than those organized by MSA National itself. The following activities, events and projects are not organized by MSA National:
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| Jobs, Internships and Scholarships! |
Several organizations are offering jobs and internships to students. Please contact the following organizations directly for additional questions and application procedures:
Al-Azhar Awaits Ever wanted to study Arabic overseas, but never knew how? This July, join the Intensive Arabic Immersion and Qur'an Program in cooperation with Al-Azhar University. Enroll at Beginniner, Intermediate, and Avanced levels. For more information, visit the Al-Amen website at http://www.alameen4arabic.org/
Volunteer in India!
Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) Summer Volunteer program is a unique opportunity for Muslim students to travel abroad and contribute to society at the same time. Volunteers will spend five week traveling through India while working with non-profit organizations. A new program starting this year will assign four volunteers to the city of Hyderabad for three full weeks. College credit may be awarded by your university. See http://www.summervolunteer.org/ for more information.
Spiritual Research!
A UCLA project entitled Spritiuality in Higher Education is seeking original research proposals from bright investigators who are interested in conducting original research. Drawing on a database which encompasses 14,527 students spread across 136 institutions, this is a unique opportunity to study a wide range of students spiritual and religious issues. Stipends will be awarded to ten to fifteen recipients in the amount of $10,000. The deadline for receipt of proposals is March 1, 2009. For more information, see the Spirituality in Higher Education website.
Work for Justice
Spend the summer exploring the connection of faith and social justice while participating in the worker justice movement through the Interfaith Worker Justice Summer Internship. Participants will be placed at interfaith worker justice committees or workers' centers for eight weeks of hands-on service, community organizing, and social justice advocacy. The program begins June 8 in New Orleans for a week of training and orientation in conjunction with the IWJ National Conference, after which interns will depart to their placement sites. Participants will reconvene August 11-14 in Chicago for reflection and exploring next steps. For more information and applications visit www.iwj.org (look under the "Programs" tab) or contact Meg at mkoach@iwj.org / (773)728-8400 ext. 38. The application deadline is March 15.
Graduate Students for Justice
The Islamic Internship for Worker Justice is a paid internship for graduate students combining education, action, and reflection. Through hands-on experiences, interns will help educate and mobilize the religious community to stand with workers on workplace issues. Participants will be placed at labor unions around the country for eight weeks to support campaigns involving low wage workers. The program begins June 8 in New Orleans where Muslim graduate students will join seminary and rabbinical students for a week of training and orientation in conjunction with Interfaith Worker Justice's National Conference, after which interns will depart to their placement sites. The internship concludes August 11-14 in Chicago with four days of debriefing and reflection. For more information and applications visit www.iwj.org (look under the "Programs" tab) or contact Rev. April McGlothin-Eller at aeller@iwj.org / (773) 728-8400 ext 21. The application deadline is March 15.
2009 Humanity in Action
The HIA Fellowship brings together university students from the United States and Europe for a rigorous, interdisciplinary inquiry into human rights, diversity, and minority issues. Students participate in a five-week fellowship in one of six different countries: Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, or the United States. Upon completing the fellowship, Fellows join an active international network of young professionals and are eligible for internship opportunities at the United States Congress, European Parliament, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and other civic and political institutions.
HIA will select 56 matriculated sophomores, juniors, and seniors from American colleges and universities to participate.
Fellows are selected on the basis of demonstrated commitment to minority rights, evidence of leadership potential, and outstanding academic achievement. To ensure participation of all qualified students, HIA pays the full cost related to its educational programs. Interested students should visit the HIA website at humanityinaction.com
ISNA Internship
Sponsored by Samina & Maqbool Ahmed
- Engage in hands-on experience and meaningful projects
- Gain a greater understanding of non-profit work in the U.S.
- Develop professional skills in a work setting with Islamic values
- Gain networking opportunities for future employment
- Contribute to the betterment of the American Muslim Community
More information and online applications available at
www.isna.net/internship
HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal ISNA Fellowship Program Equipping Muslim graduate students with experience and training to become effective leaders of American non-profits. Muslim Americans pursuing Master's degrees in philanthropic studies, non profit management or other related fields are invited to apply for the 2009-10 class of fellows. Internship, Scholarship and Stipend Included More information and online application available at www.isna.net/fellowship
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Student Opportunities |
Midwest Muslim Melee!
The Islamic League of the Midwest is hosting its first annual tournament. The
tournament will be held in Missouri
and will consist of competitive events interspersed with seminars, workshops, and team
building activities. High school students and college students in their first
two years are eligible to compete. See http://islamicleague.wordpress.com
for more information. | |
The Muslim Students Association National, headquartered near Washington
D.C., has been serving Muslim students on colleges and university campuses across the United States
and Canada since 1963. There are over 250 MSA chapters on university and college campuses throughout the
United States and Canada.
Sincerely,Your MSA National Board of Directors: Ex-officio: Mohamed Sheibani President: Asma Mirza Vice President USA: Randa Kuziez
Treasurer: Danish Adil
Your MSA National Zonal Representatives: East Zone Canada Rep: Kareem Mirza
East Zone US Rep: Tauqeer Zaidi Central Zone US Rep: Nura Sediqe West Zone Canada Rep: Samir Hassan
West Zone US Rep: Yasmin Elhady
Your MSA National Task Force Chairs: Community Service: Yasmin Hussein
COMPASS: Idris El-Bakri Dawah/Interfaith: Nasreen Badat
Media and Communication: Zainab Khan Information Technology: Meraj Ahmed Political Action: Asma Rehman
Programs: Atifa Chiragh
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Seeking Guidance?
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SEEKING GUIDANCE?
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Gardens of the
Righteous: The sunnah of the Sunnah (Riyad al-Saliheen). Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
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Spotlight on MSA:
MSA
National would like to recognize the MSA's who organized student-led
demonstrations for peace in Gaza.
MSA's all across America
formed alliances with other organizations to raise awareness and contribute
food and supplies to all victims hurt in this conflict. May Allah SWT reward
each and every one of you for your sincerity and dedication.
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