Volume 126, No. 86
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
OPINION
Who are the real snowflakes? PAGE 5
Interior of the Islamic Center on Lake Street. Ahmad encourges students to learn about the religion by visiting the Islamic Center or asking friends.
CSU student explains Islamic faith, gives tour of Islamic Center
PHOTO BY CORY BERTELSEN COLLEGIAN
By Cory Bertelsen @Becoryp
With the words and actions of many Americans that followed President Trump’s travel ban, it is evident that our society often misunderstands what it means to practice the Islamic faith. Muhammad Hamza Ahmad, a junior at Colorado State University studying accounting and finance, worships at the Islamic Center here on campus and is passionate about educating people about what it really means to be Muslim. He showed me around the Islamic Center and taught me some basic facts about the Muslim faith. We met outside of the mosque. As we entered, Ahmad
told me that we needed to take off our shoes. “We take off our shoes as a sign of respect and to keep the mosque clean,” Ahmad said. Ahmad showed me around the mosque. There were classrooms where children learn the Quran and rooms for washing hands, mouths, nostrils, arms, heads and feet with water. This important purification practice is called Wudu, according to Ahmad. Before we entered the room where prayers are offered, Ahmad showed me a large wooden donation box. According to Ahmad, giving is a big part of Islamic culture. “Zakat is a form of charity,”
Ahmad said. “It is one of the pillars of Islam, and all of the funds allocated in Zakat are given to the needy.” Ahmad said Zakat is used as a way to keep the flow of money equal in society. “This is so the rich people do not become richer, and the poor people remain poor,” Ahmad said. “This is a way for them to get help.” Ahmad said there are other charitable expenses in the mosque. For example, the Islamic Center is currently raising money for a new basement project. According to Ahmad, during Ramadan, which is a month of fasting in the Islamic faith, peo-
ple donate hundreds of thousands of dollars all over the world. “Zakat happens on a personal basis,” Ahmad said. “No one is going to ask you whether you paid your Zakat this month. It is a matter between you and God.” Once in the central room of the mosque, I saw a plushy red carpet and bookshelves filled with Qurans. “This is where people offer their prayers five times a day,” Ahmad said. “When the prayer is offered, the Imam, a worship leader, will stand alone and people will start forming lines behind him or her to fill up the room.” see ISLAMIC on page 10 >>
SPORTS
Ex Ram leading Syracuse team PAGE 6
A&C
An alternative Valentine’s Day PAGE 13