INSIDE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Students, advisers awarded at Residence Hall conference
• Sports PAGES 6-7
• Strange Stories
PAGE
8-9
• Police Briefs
PAGE
14
• Campus Events • Out & About
PAGE
14
PAGE
15
• Classifieds
PAGE
16
PAGE 9
The Student Voice Since 1903
WWW.THEVISTAONLINE.COM
BRIEFS >News Stressed to the limit The UCO Student Counseling Center offers tips on battling final exam stress. ✓ Page 4
>News Regent under fire A regent from Alva was reprimanded Nov. 31 by the state Ethics Committee for conflict of interest. v Page 11
>Sports Nothing but net
TUESDAY •
Muslim students to celebrate Ramadan By J.W. MCBEE
Staff Writer
T
his month the Max Chambers Library and Muslim Student Association are featuring a Ramadan exhibit to celebrate and educate the students, faculty and staff about the month-long celebration. "Basically what we are doing is trying to educate the everyone who visits the library about Islam," said senior
Management Information Systems major Muhammad Ali Shahzad, president of the Muslim Student Association. "We hope to educate the people and clear up the some of the stereotypes of the Islamic religion like the idea that all Muslims are terrorists and that we oppress women," said Public Relations Officer Umair Mujahid Malik, management information systems graduate. Over a billion Muslims worldwide will be recognizing
the holiday by fasting from sunrise to sunset. Directly after the sunsets they conclude the day with a feast to break the day long fast. "Fasting makes us realize that there are other people who are hungry and thirsty and that softens our hearts and makes us want to give to charity. It is a spiritual cleaning," Shahzad said. According to Shahzad, anyone can become a Muslim if they, "accept Allah to be the
Women's basketball beat two Texas teams last week, raising their consecutive win total to four. ✓ Page 7
TODAY IN HISTORY In 1918, Woodrow Wilson became the first U.S. president to travel outside the United States for presidential business when he attended the Versailles Peace Conference in France. The Treaty of Versailles was signed at the conference, ending World War I.
QUOTE OF THE DAY "It is difficult but not impossible to conduct strictly honest business... What is true is that honesty is incompatible with the amassing of large fortune."
— Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
WEATHER Cloudy, with a
. it Tue. chance of storms. / ilk Highs mid 60s; lows mid 50s. ,/ Mostly cloudy, Wed. with a chance of \ \ li showers. Highs .0, lower 60s; lows d, near 40.
DEC. 4, 2001
Along for the ride
PHOTO BY ELISE CARR ...
While changing classes Wednesday, Nov. 28, a woman recieves a ride as a man pulls her along the icy sidewalk. Winter storms blanketed most of the state Tuesday and Wednesday in the first snow of the fall season.
only creator and sustainer and believe Mohammad to be the last prophet sent by God." There are five basic pillars, which make up the Islamic faith. The first being that they have to accept that Allah is the only God and Mohammad is his prophet and messenger. The second pillar is that, as a Muslim, you have to pray towards Mecca five times a day. These times are fixed according to the position of the sun and are named Fajar, Zohar, Asar, Maghrib and Eisha. The third concept is charity, called Zakat. Fourth is the month-long fast during Ramadan when eating or drinking anything during the day is prohibited. The fifth pillar is the Muslims pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage to Mecca is not a hard and fast rule said Shazad, "You don't have to go if you cannot afford it." There are some basic beliefs that set the Islamic faith apart from some other world religions. First of all the Islamic faith is the largest religion in the world. Secondly they still believe in all of the prophets of the Judeo-Christian Bible like Jesus, Moses, Isaac and Job, while believing that Mohammad was the last and only prophet of Allah. Last of all is their belief in polygamy. Their faith allows up to five and the allotment is up to how well the man is able to support the wives. One thing Mujahid wanted to point out was the "negative vibe and discomfort felt on campus since the Sept. 11 attacks. "The irony is that even after the World Within program, people might still have negative feelings towards Muslims. A couple of nights ago a friend of mine with a beard was called Bin Laden at the 7-Eleven on Ayers." •