The University of Minnesota’s Muslim Student Association and Al Madinah Cultural Center held their awareness week from April 7 to 11 to spread knowledge about Islam and combat stereotypes people may have about Muslims. 

Islamic Awareness Week (IAW) is a subcommittee of MSA and AMCC that comes together every year, one week after the conclusion of Ramadan, to spread knowledge about Islam and combat stereotypes people may have about Muslims. 

Events run during the week included Hijabi for a day, an event for non-muslim women to briefly wear the hijab, speaker panels, assembling care packages for charity, tables displaying and providing information about the Quran and an Eidrageous celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic festival to mark the end of Ramadan. 

IAW co-lead Razan Shahin said that although the group only comes together for a week of events, planning starts three to four months prior. 

The Council on American-Islamic Relations reported a record 8,658 anti-Muslim and anti-Arab complaints in 2024, the highest since it began tracking data in 1996, according to Reuters. 

The other IAW Co-lead Haneen Muraweh said the way IAW combats stereotypes is by humazing Muslims, showing that Muslims are no different than the average person. 

“Just like coming and approaching regular students and people and girls kind of makes them feel like, ‘Okay, we’re equals and we’re the same, and we speak the same language, and we have the same kind of goal here at the University,’” Muraweh said.

Shahin said many stereotypes revolve around Muslim women, given that many people do not understand why Muslim women wear the hijab, a reason IAW holds the Hijabi for a Day event. 

The event, held April 7, welcomed non-Muslims to try on the hijab for a minute or to wear throughout the day. The event was a way to break the stereotype that women are forced to wear the hijab, Shahin said. 

Muslim women wear the hijab for a variety of reasons, including religious beliefs, cultural identity and personal choice.

Shahin said a lot of people believe Muslim women are oppressed because they wear the hijab or that they simply do not understand the beauty of the hijab. 

“You can’t judge someone for thinking that way,” Shahin said. “But rather, you can educate them in a beautiful way, whether that be through positive examples or showcasing that women are not oppressed for the sake of wearing the hijab.”

Shahin said other stereotypes include non-muslims believing that only Arabs are Muslims. In a study by the Pew Research Center in 2009, it found that approximately 80% of Muslims live outside of Arab countries. 

Shahin said IAW makes her feel like she is doing something good for Allah, the Arabic word for God. 

“I’m not doing this for my own benefit,” Shahin said. “I’m doing this because I’m learning from it. I’m learning how to become a leader, and I’m also learning how to connect with people and understand differences and approach them in a positive, beautiful way.” 

Muraweh said the point of the week is to perform da’wah, the act of spreading the teachings of Islam. It  is a way for people to come out of their shadow as Muslims and focus on representing Islam in the most authentic way possible. 

Shahin said she joined IAW because she wanted to be a leader and a good example for the Muslim community. 

“I’m not doing this because I want people to think I’m cool,” Shahin said. “I’m doing this for my own connection with Allah, and I feel like I’m getting closer to my Creator, where I get to spread the beauty of Islam.”

Shahin wanted to showcase Islam to her non-muslim friends to explain her faith and be a resource to answer questions without being afraid of overstepping boundaries. 

“We want this to be a safe space for them,” Shahin said. “We want this to be a place where they can ask their pressing questions, we want them to feel connected, we want them to enjoy the food that we provide, as well as to gain a good lecture on what Islam is, whether that be the history or the cultural significance.” 

Shahin said Muslims and non-Muslims are better off connected than divided. 

“Religion shouldn’t divide us,” Shahin said. “We’re all students at this school, our main purpose is to graduate and get a good degree and get a good job, so it’s better that we come together rather than stem away from one another.”