BDN reports on Islamic Awareness Week
The Bangor Daily News reported members of the University of Maine and surrounding communities are invited to learn about Islamic faith and culture during Islamic Awareness Week, March 28–April 2. UMaine’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) and the Islamic Center of Maine, an Orono mosque, are sponsoring the seventh annual event, which culminates with two guest speakers, according to the article. “We aim to open our doors to our neighbors who do not share our faith, who may be skeptical of their Muslim neighbors and colleagues to have the opportunity to ask and express their concerns directly to the Muslims of this community in an open and safe environment,” said Omar Conteh, outreach coordinator for the Islamic Center of Maine. Jonathan Brown, the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., will deliver “The Message of Peace: Spread by the Sword?” 5–7 p.m. April 1 in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union. Nouman Ali Khan, a Muslim American speaker and world renowned Qur’anic scholar, will present “Cooperate in Matters of Goodness” from 5–7 p.m. April 2 at the Islamic Center of Maine. Other activities will include henna tattoos, Arabic name writing and hijab wrapping between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday at the MSA table in the Memorial Union. WABI (Channel 5) also reported on the events. “We’re not all that different,” said Waleed Rahmatullah, vice president of MSA. “You know, you may see us on TV and that may be your only view of what Islam might be. But there’s a whole other world to it, and if you get to talk to us, you get to make friends with us, we’re pretty cool people.”