Conant revives Muslim Students Association

In November, Conant’s Muslim Students Association held its first meeting since 2020. The club has been revitalized after being forced to pause during the pandemic. 

Better known as MSA, the club serves as a safe space for Muslim students at Conant, who represent almost two billion Muslims globally. Illinois has the largest per capita population of Muslims in America. It aims to create a community setting for young Muslims to gather at Conant. Participation has been high, with dozens of students attending meetings. 

“MSA has been such a welcoming place,” member Gizel Fahimi, ‘23, said. “[I’ve been] able to make so many new friends and learn so many new things.”

MSA President and founder, Alishba Kamran, ‘22, has been working with Conant administration to get the club up and running again. She wanted to bring back the club so “Muslims at Conant could feel like they belong somewhere and simply have a safe space while gaining knowledge.” She hopes the club can “foster a sense of unity through diversity and education.”

Jinu Joseph, the Blue Team administrator, sponsors the club. “My hope is that our Muslim students will build a community here at Conant and that they will be able their share their religion and help change the narrative about Islam,” Joseph said. Joseph has also helped the club create a space for students to pray Zhuhr salaat, the Muslim noon prayer, during school.

MSA plans on hosting a variety of events in the future, such as religious discussions, speaker events, collaborations with local mosques, and more. They are also preparing for Ramadan and Eid holiday events coming up this spring. All Conant students are welcome to participate, regardless of faith.

Kamran hopes that MSA becomes an integral part of Conant culture and that underclassmen carry on the club in future years. Kamran said she envisions that “[MSA] continues on and keeps going because it’s where Muslims for years on end can come together and be one. I envision an MSA where they meet weekly and host great events related to us and overall become a normal club such as SASA, Cultural [Awareness Club] or BLA.”

MSA will meet every Thursday morning before school, starting this semester. If interested, join MSA’s Schoology group with the code 958T-DJQT-7MG2C.

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