MSA Reunion Halaqa

First the bigger picture:
What is the MSA? Where does it come from? What does it do?

In the late 1800’s Jamaluddin al-Afghani started going around the Ottoman Empire spreading around ideas that Muslims need to go beyond sectarian, ethnic, cultural, and geographic differences. They need to realize that they are all Muslims. That they are all one people. He was given support by the Ottoman caliph, who could use this as a means to motivate people to defend his empire against the threat of european expansion. After all, he was the caliph of all Muslims, which means all Muslims should help defend his empire. Muslim Unity was good. It was for a reason.

Anyways, After the empire ended, and the khilafat faded away. The muslims in various independent regions began movements to bring Islam back into some sort of political power. There was no need for teaching the basics of Islam to the members of the movements, there were madrasas and mullahs and qaris for that. So what the movements focused on was molding a perspective of a political and social role of Islam among its recruits. These movements, the Ikhwan al Muslimun in the Mid-East, the Jamat e Islami in South Asia, reinterpreted Afghani’s Pan-Islam into an Islamic nationalism. The goal was to replace the colonial order with a new order.

By the late 60’s members of these movements were making their way to the New World. Many hoped to go back and continue the struggle, In the mean time while in college they would pursue higher education and seeing a vacuum they created Muslim organizations to serve their needs. The goal was to keep from assimilating while here. MSA was born.

But this is only the history of a few who founded the formal organizations, what happened next was unexpected. Members of the movements were not the only Muslims in America. I think there are four distict streams of Muslims in America. One is the movement stream with al-Afghani as the key common figure. Another is based on Black Nationalism. The black race in America has faced many challenges and one of them is to gain Power, power lost through slavery and years of dehumanization and discrimination. Figures like Noble Drew Ali, Elijah Muhammad, and Malcolm X linked this stream to Islam. The third stream is made up of Converts who went overseas to learn the traditional sciences of Islam. The fourth is people like my parents, part of the global shifting of populations, the immigrant experience.

With the easing of immigration laws after the civil rights reforms passed, Muslims looking for opportunities to make a living and support their families back home made their way here. They cared little for the political and social agendas of the Islamic movements, but they did want to be able to practice their religion. They were coming here to stay. They joined the MSAs. To be able to Pray Jummah, establish mosques, teach the basics to their kids. Survival was their goal. It was a small community and they all worked together and tolerated each other’s opposing perspectives on Islam.

That was then…
We are their children, Our time has its own challenges, Its own needs.
What is the MSA to us?

Is it about fullfilling a religious need?
-The need to worship?
-The need to learn about Islam?
-The need to believe in something?
--The need for meaning.

Or, is it about fulfilling a human need?
-The need to find a home?
-The need to eat?
-The need to socialize?
--The need to belong.

Or, is it about fulfilling an educational need?
-The need to find the best teacher?
-The need to find a study group?
-The need to pass a test?
--The need to learn.

Or, is it about fulfilling a political need?
-The need to raise awareness of an issue?
-The need to know our rights?
-The need to unite?
-The need to organize?
--The need for justice.
----The need for power.

Maybe its NOT about fulfilling a need…
-There’s a mosque if you need a place to pray.
-There’s your friends to satisfy the need to belong.
-There’s College Advisors to help you find learning aids.
-There’s a multitude of movements out there seeking power.

Maybe its about fulfilling WANTs…
-We want things to be easy.
-We want to be with those we feel most comfortable with.
-We want to feel like we are doing something meaningful.
-We want to think we are pleasing God.

So, what IS the MSA?
Throughout its history, since 1967, it’s been all of the above.
Sometimes satisfying one need, sometimes satisfying another,
…almost always satisfying a desire.

I think an MSA of our size and ability can easily lose focus, so i will list the 3 basic types of things that a group of Muslims at UT can create for themselves:

1-A means of building character in UT students…
-this does not need an organization only a small group people helping each other.

2-An outlet for issue based activism by UT students…
-needs some organization and lots of volunteers committed to that issue or cause.

3-An institution that provides services for UT students…
-needs lots of organization and access to professional resources + continuity.

To do one is easy and success is measurable, but to do all three requires hard work, a solid organization and lots of support.

That’s what we Alumni are for. Use us.

In the 60s, there was a need for us to get organized. Why?
-To give us something to belong to, and overcome feelings of isolation.
-and To assist that small group of isolated Muslims in the practice of Islam.

In the 70s and 80s, there was the need for us to build our institutions. Why?
-In order to accommodate a growing community, and its children.
-and To provide resources for those interested in knowing about Islam.

In the early 90s, there was again a need for us to organize. Why?
-It was time to make MSA relevant to a Muslim American generation.
-With the community needs taken care of by the mosque, MSA began to look outward, to others with needs. Hello Dawa Table!
-To voice support for Palestine. for Bosnia. Against Oppression. MSA’s rawest purist activism for the highest cause…Justice! MSA members joined Student Gov, Texas Union, The Daily Texan. All to support the activism, and to show that we belong in these campus institutions because we are just as much a part of the campus as any other group.

We’ve heard the names: Ayloush, Riz, Monem, Asaduddin, Almouti, Hajjar…
We've heard the legends…
-Riz getting busted for praying at old UGLy here,
-Palestinan Flags at Hillal Rallies on the west mall,
-Monem trying to distribute condoms at the dorms…WHAT???

I had a chance to participate in the tail end of that period of our MSA’s history.
-And then a challenging new era began…
--The challenge of living up to expectations!
--The challenge of continuing traditions!
--The challenge of growth!
--The challenge of finding a meaning!

It starts with a vision…camp!!

"Dear Imam Siraj,
Please find along with this letter the vision statement itself. What I would like to do here is try to give you a background on what led us to this point. Working with MYNA, MSA, local masaajid, and other various Muslim organizations, a few of us kept noticing that each had very similar problems. After looking at their histories, we found that none had a formalized vision and goal(s). This being the case, they acted more on a reactive basis, rather than proactive one.

What this vision statement attempts to do is lay out a vision for Muslims in America. Although an ambitious task, we strongly feel that if left malleable, it can serve the needs of our North American Community. The "group" I am referring to is very loose in nature. Most have either graduated from college or are very close to being so. Each is active enough to have a taste of how Muslim organizations operate.

I hope this letter and the accompanying vision statement are clear and I look forward to speaking with you at ISNA (either Friday or Saturday after Fajr).

--the vision statement and introduction:
Every traveler must have a destination in mind or the passage of time will reveal a life without achievement, the loss of opportunity, and the agony of failure. Muslims are now poised to establish a historic movement in America that could change the world. We have the human power, the economic resources, the knowledge, and the guidance of Islam. But do we have that destination in mind?

Our vision is to endlessly promote a society of thinking muslims proactive to the needs of the North American community.

Muslims must tear down the rigid walls of close-minded ignorance and open themselves to a world of creative, and fresh ideas. We must embrace the blessings and benefits of all the approaches within Islam past and present, as they reflect the many shades and complementary colors that make our deen whole. Muslims should analyze, not blindly assimilate, as we actively reach out to the Muslim community to serve its needs. As these needs are met, the North American Muslim Ummah must excel all others to lead America towards the benefits gained from the wisdom and balance of Islam."

After much discussion our group finally came to an agreement on what we are going to ask our leaders and scholars.
1.We agreed that we should begin by explaining how we were formed thus: "A group of people from all over Texas noticed that there is a problem with organizations in North American and saw that all these problems came down to the fact that they (the organization and groups) did not have a comprehensive vision for North America. What we have done after toiling for a year is come up with a vision"
2.The vision statement and the introduction written by Adil would then be told to the person
3.Then we would ask them "What do you think about the vision and do you feel it falls within the bounds of Islam?" This is basically giving them the answer. If they response by saying they think it is haram, then we would ask them why and end the conversation. But if they don't think there is anything wrong then move onto the next question.
4."Our methodology for implementing this vision is through a list of priorities. Do you agree with having priorities and what do you feel are the most important for Muslims in America?"
5.And the last question would be "What are your feeling about a new movement in North America?" - this is a controversial question

Why are we approaching them?
1.To legitimize ourselves and to let people know that we exist and this is what we are thinking
2.The conversation should be tape recorded if possible
3.Basically what we want for them is elaboration and their input and view point

I think we were idealistic and ambitious, just like we should have been at that age. And although we never formed any new organizations, we carried that vision with us as individuals. I still do.
This vision was incorporated into a new charter for UT’s MSA.

Well, I left UT at the beginning of this new millennium, coming home at the end of 2000.
-I had participated, then I had began to organize, and eventually I had led…
--and Throughout …I grew!

I gained wisdom.
-Wisdom: its more than knowledge.
--There’s awareness of a thing
---Then knowledge of that thing
----Then doing that thing
-----Then finally a Wisdom based on experience.

I became aware about myself…
-My abilities, My limitations, My emotions

I became aware of my friends…
-The nature of friendship, family, brotherhood…LOVE!

I became aware of my surroundings…
-My teachers, fellow students, the great city of Austin.

I don’t know how much was the result of the MSA and how much was because of the way I am, but I do know that the MSA was very much a part of who I am.

For me MSA wasn’t about Dawa, or Power, or Knowledge, or Friends.
-It was about finding a means to BE ASAD!
-For many, the MSA is a means of satisfying Identity issues.

I had major issues going on in my life at the time I was in UT,
-I had transition problems from transferring into the Architecture school and I couldn’t be the architecture student I wanted to be. ...My professional identity.

-I had an ill father slowly dying of diabetes dealing with the stress of running a business at Home and I couldn’t be the son I wanted to be. ...My Siddiqui identity

-But in the MSA, I found a place where I could be the Muslim I wanted to be, that believer in God that does things for others, with others.

That’s what MSA became for me in the end:
-Not to struggle to establish an Islamic order;
-Not for dawa to gain new converts;
-Not a religious institution for the Muslims of Austin;
Simply a club on campus that provides opportunities for UT’s Muslims to practice Akhlaq together. and in the process develop a stronger relationship with Allah.