Assalamualaykum waRahmatullah

A month (and a half) is a wonderful and long time in FOSIS.

Between this blog and the last, I can report that The Muslim Student Survey II continues productively with our stakeholders in DIUS and NUS, and ongoing is our work in welfare-related campaigns of Prayer Rooms and Muslim Chaplains. Encouraging student political participation continues on campus with our workshops which is brilliant news, and after the exam break we look forward to doing some more. We had a wonderful National Council mashaAllah, testament to the unity of Muslim students irrespective of background and location, or charades skills! I also had the privilege of visiting Islamic Societies in Ireland - brothers and sisters your work is truly inspiring, may Allah swt strengthen you.

We saw the NUS Reform Core Constitution victorious in Wolverhampton, where many Muslim students embarked and were recommended to vote for the Core by FOSIS, a proposed constitution that was improved to increase and benefit minority representation (including Muslim students) alongside the wider success of the NUS as a powerful and relevant organisation. We’re now discussing the Schedules and pushing for a democratic debate for the ratification of the Core, and insha’Allah we will indeed support the ratification.

I should add, Dr June Edmunds, of the University of Cambridge, provided insightful research to the literature surrounding extremism on campus. The exploratory nature of the research adds to a discourse seriously lacking a detailed understanding of a diverse Muslim student personality.

Anyway, need I mention - for those moments we’re not calling on campus, we welcome your advice and your help, always, or if you want to join. Let us know too if there is anything we can help with, whether its info surrounding campus radicalisation, or resources to help you get more politically engaged. A responsibility as the Student Affairs Committee is to serve Allah ‘azza wa jall by serving your interests, so drop us an email or call us, please.

Allah ‘azza wa jall tells us in the Qur’an, “So fear not men but fear Me”. And to follow with the words of Roosevelt, “the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”. How appropriate. A deserved winter break to all, and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate.

JazakumAllahu khairun

Wa alaykum salaam waRahmatullah

Nabil

VP Student Affairs

The Student Affairs Committee leads and serves political work for Muslim students in a variety of arenas; this includes encouraging Muslim students to politically participate on campus, our representation with external organisations and the government, research projects and domestic campaigns.