Brown Muslim Students' Association

Throughout the year, the Brown Muslim Students' association holds several events and activities to help foster a sense of community and build members' spirituality and religiosity. During the fall, with Ramadan there are nightly iftars in the Brown Muslim Students' Center (BMSC), prayers and halaqas for Laylat-ul-Qadr, and the community event Fast-A-Thon where we invite our fellow Brown students to fast with us to help raise funds for a worthy cause. Previous causes have been to raise funds for flood victims in India, tsunami victims in South East Asia, and for Iraqi children through UNICEF. There are weekly women's halaqas, nightly Isha prayers in the BMSC. We also hold many social events including movie outings, skating, retreats, and socials. During the spring, in March we have our annual Islam Awareness Month where we invite notable speakers and performers to help increase awareness of various aspects touching on the diversity and complexity in Islam. The Muslim community is very dynamic however and more can be added to this list with student enthusiasm.

Religious Activities

Friday Jummah
- "O believers, when the call is proclaimed for the prayer on Friday, come to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business, that is better for you if you but did know." [Al-Jumuah, 62:9]
- The Brown Muslim Students' Center holds Jumuah congregational prayers every Friday during the schoolyear at 1:00 PM. Khutbah starts at 1:10 PM so please be on time.
Daily Isha Prayers
- "Prayer in congregation is better than the prayer of a man by himself by twenty-seven degrees." (Bukhari, Muslim)
- “He who observed the Isha prayer in congregation, it was as if he prayed up to the midnight, and he who prayed the morning prayer in congregation, it was as if he prayed the whole night” (Muslim)
- Because of the great importance Islam places on congregational prayer, the BMSA has Isha Salah every night see Prayer Times for details.
Weekly Women's Halaqahs
- BMSA's Spiritual Development Committee organizes weekly halaqahs for women around various topics which have included "The Future of Religion," "Being a Muslim at Brown."
Open Halaqahs
- BMSA's Spiritual Development Committee also organizes halaqas that are open to everyone. Held as announced.
Ramadan:
- The BMSA and the Office of the Chaplains hold daily iftars in the BMSC every night with food catered from nearby venues. The iftars, like all BMSA activities, are open to the Brown community to attend.
- Laylat-ul-Qadr Observance: In the odd nights nearing the end of Ramadan, the BMSA holds a gathering for Laylat-ul-Qadr, praying, holding halaqas, and reading Quran into the night with Suhoor the next morning.

Social Activities

Annual Dinner
- At the end of every year, the BMSA holds a formal dinner open to the general public where there are different performers, artists, and reflections from the graduating seniors.
Senior Picnic
- In the spring semester the BMSA holds a picnic to gather the community in honor of the graduating seniors and enjoy the warm outdoor weather and barbeque cooking with lots of fun and games.
Ice Skating
Movie Nights
Game Nights
Anything different members want to organize.
- The BMSA values building a community and leadership initiative. If different members want to organize various events that would be catered to the whole of the Brown Muslim community, the BMSA Board would be willing to support them, morally and financially.

Outreach Activities

Fast-A-Thon
- The Brown Muslim Students' Association holds its yearly Fast-A-Thon during the month of Ramadan to reach out to the larger Brown community and welcome them to fast with us to understand Muslim ritual fasting and to raise funds for a worthy cause. Previous Fast-A-Thons have helped raise funds for Iraqi Children via UNICEF, flood victims in India, and victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia.
Islam Awareness Month
- During the second semester, March is dedicated Islam Awareness Month at Brown. For Islam Awareness Month the Brown Muslim Students' Association invites various speakers, religious and/or academic, performers, and artists to raise awareness about the complexity and diversity that exists within Islam, analyze issues, and stir dialogue.