The Muslim Students Association (MSA) provides UAlbany students with the opportunity to come together in a supportive Muslim environment and seeks to educate the Albany community about Islam. All students and community members are welcome to MSA activities and events. Above all we recognize that students are at varied levels in their own faith and we are welcoming to all, regardless of the extent of one's religious knowledge or determination.
Regular activities organized by the MSA include weekly planning meetings and Friday congregational Jumu’ah prayers in the Assembly Hall (2nd Floor of the Campus Center). In addition, each semester features several social gatherings such as pizza socials, movie nights and jeopardy nights. Ramadan for us is the busiest and most inspiring time of the year: the MSA organizes Iftaar dinners and Suhoor packets, but we do not, unfortunately, complete the occasional Taraweeh prayers on campus. For Taraweeh prayers, we offer rides to the nearby mosques so please get in contact with an Executive board (E-board) member during the Iftars for more information.
Other annual events include our Professor's Dinner, a farewell Graduates Dinner and our end of the year BBQ. Every spring, the MSA holds an annual Islamic Awareness Week with the purpose of better acquainting the campus community with the faith of its members. To maintain the spirit of Islamic Awareness Week, a different theme is presented every year. Also in the spring, our MSA members enjoy making the trip to the MSA National East Zone Conference, held in one of the east coast states.
The MSA believes in active involvement on campus, and works to participate in events sponsored alongside other associations such as the Newman Group, the Interfaith Council, Hillel, ASIA, the Department of Residential Life, CHARGE, and others. We also provide various volunteer opportunities to our member by participating in Habitat for Humanity and the Muslim Soup Kitchen Program (MSKP).
Our goals for the 2010-2011 academic year include organizing a greater number of projects with other active groups on campus, working vigorously to make Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha officially recognized holidays on campus, and provide more volunteer opportunities to our members. MashAllah we have many exciting events in the Fall and Spring semesters and we will continue to have those events and many more. To learn more about our events, please e-mail us requesting to be added to our mailing list and you will then receive notifications about our weekly meetings and upcoming events. InshAllah, with the help from every member, we will have a successful year and your stay at SUNY Albany will not only be educational but enjoyable as well.
