Head of Media Blog - July 2009

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

I begin by praising Allah (swt) and by sending peace and blessings upon His Prophet Muhammad (saw), the companions and all the righteous believers until the Day of Judgment.

My name is Qasim Rafiq and I was recently co-opted as the Head of Media, a position which I held last year, and I pray this year will be more successful than the last.

I thought it might be good to give a brief description of the work and  role of the media committee.  The FOSIS Media Committee is at the forefront of addressing the issues which arise in the mainstream media and relate to the Muslim student population.  Living in a post 7-7 world has dramatically changed the outlook and perspective of Muslim students and it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Muslim community has often lacked in the ability to develop clear, defined narratives.  Our collective inability to shape the discourse surrounding Islam and Muslims in the media has resulted in the propagation of numerous misconceptions and has left the arena open to those who wish to vilify the Muslim community.

Despite the numerous challenges that we as Muslim students face, it is imperative that we remain undeterred and harness the tremendous capability that we collectively possess and stand firm with courage and perseverance in the face of such adversity.  FOSIS has constantly sought to redress the balance, and through the work and efforts of the Media Committee, has and will continue inshAllah to take bold stances relating to student, domestic and international issues.

Thus far efforts have been made in developing the Media Committee and developing project proposals which will be discussed at the next NEC meeting.  If given the green light (and I will be upset if we don’t :D) then this is when inshAllah you will see the fruits of our labour and the ‘ball will start rolling’ so to speak.  I don't wish to give too much away in this month's edition of the blog (partly because projects are still to be ratified by the NEC) so you will have to wait until next month's edition to find out what we are going to be up to! 

The FOSIS Media Committee aims to develop the necessary skills required to contribute and enhance the discourse on Islam and are constantly seeking individuals who share the same passion we do.  If you wish to take part in this ambitious yet challenging endeavour, please do not hesitate to contact me! 

Jazakamullahu khayran. And I conclude by praising Allah, Lord of all that is in the Heavens and the Earth.

Wassalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

Qasim Rafiq
Head of Media