NEW YORK (RNS) — Fahad Kiani is aware of he’s making historical past by collaborating within the pro-Palestinian protests on school campuses across the metropolis. Over the previous few weeks, Kiani, a graduate of the Metropolis College of New York, has demonstrated at his alma mater and at Columbia College. However whereas the heightened police presence and the 24-hour tent encampments dominate information headlines, Kiani discovered hope when a fellow protester determined to grow to be Muslim simply outdoors Columbia’s gates one evening final week.
After reaffirming the younger man’s resolution, Kiani, 34, discovered two Muslim witnesses among the many protesting crowd and, with bystanders wanting on, they collectively recited the shahada prayer to just accept Islam. “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah,” the younger man, with a kaffiyeh wrapped round his head, repeated again. Afterward, the 2 shook arms and embraced.
“It was the most effective expertise of my evening,” Kiani, a Pakistani American, stated. “That actually type of turned it round from all the wild hatred I’m seeing round me.”
As some campuses across the nation enter a fourth week of scholar protests in opposition to the Israel-Hamas warfare and demanding that their universities divest financially from Israel, Muslim protesters specific a way of each non secular solidarity and cautious unease on the watching world.
Among the New York Police Division officers patrolling the campus, Kiani notes, put on uniforms bearing the phrase “counterterrorism.”
It reminded him of how the Prophet Muhammad would facilitate dialogue about Islam. “He would pray, and other people would throw rubbish at him and block his path,” Kiani stated. “He needed to simply ignore it and be a greater individual.”
Kiani stated his Islamic religion motivates him to be on the protests. Witnessing Muslim college students praying and reciting supplications through the protests has continued to encourage him.
“Islam teaches us these values that — if somebody is yelling at you and spreading probably the most vile hatred — simply be calm and collective about it,” Kiani stated. “Once I make my prayers, I’m not simply making prayers for myself, however I’m making prayers for the injustice on the earth.”
On Monday (Might 6), Columbia introduced it will not be holding its predominant graduation ceremony over safety considerations. In the meantime, in California, at the very least 100 extra protesters have been arrested at universities throughout the state, bringing the entire variety of protesters detained to greater than 2,500 at almost 50 U.S. colleges since April 18, according to The New York Times.
The Israel-Hamas warfare, which has claimed the lives of greater than 34,000 within the Gaza Strip, in response to the Gaza Ministry of Well being, has grow to be a flashpoint of each non secular and political rigidity within the U.S. On school campuses, protesters and counterprotesters have arrange encampments and rallies to demand a cease-fire or to specific solidarity with Israel’s navy marketing campaign, launched after the Hamas assaults on Oct. 7 that left as many as 1,200 useless in Israel and greater than 200 taken hostage, in response to the Israeli Ministry of Overseas Affairs.
Regardless of these exterior divisions, Muslim, Christian and Jewish college students inside the Columbia encampment have described a way of interfaith cooperation and assist.
Throughout Friday prayers, non-Muslims within the encampment lined the worshippers with blankets to protect their identities from photographers, in response to Columbia sophomore Ashar Khan. Throughout that sizzling day, the protesters held the blankets up for about an hour. Afterward, Jewish protesters within the encampment held their Passover Seder dinners.
Khan, who serves as occasions coordinator for Columbia’s Muslim Pupil Affiliation, has helped manage every day prayers on the encampment. He recalled the “surreal” expertise of main a name to prayer in entrance of counterprotesters.
“Allahu Akbar,” Khan, 19, bellowed via a megaphone from the middle of the encampment, calling the camp to prayer. Khan stated he initially heard a counterprotester from outdoors the camp name the phrase a “terrorist” chant.
When Khan continued the Maghrib prayer within the middle of the encampment, he realized the counterprotester stopped yelling with a resolute “oh,” in what Khan deemed to be understanding.
“It was actually bizarre to listen to — whether it is in a distinct context, like a name to prayer, then it’s OK, however outdoors of that, it’s a terrorist phrase,” Khan stated. “It’s a nice alternative to coach individuals.”
As others within the encampment appeared on, Khan stated, he felt grounded in his Muslim group. He felt grateful that he may begin a dialogue to problem widespread Islamophobic misconceptions which have gripped a lot of the world since 9/11.
Strolling house from a protest, Khan stated, he heard three individuals yell at him for carrying a kaffiyeh. He additionally stated he had heard accounts of hijab-wearing ladies being harassed within the streets.
Khan feels that there’s a lack of Muslim-specific psychological well being assist for college students on campus. The first campus assist for Muslim college students is from Columbia Islamic chaplain Imam Ebad Rahman. Nonetheless, with what Khan estimates to be about 350 Muslims on campus energetic in MSA, one individual can’t assist all of them.
Rahman didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The 11 board members of MSA depend on one another for assist within the encampment by gathering provides and organizing audio system and prayers.
“We’ve been trauma bonded over the previous yr,” Khan stated.
Though Khan is assured in his stance to protest, he typically struggles with worries concerning the penalties.
“What am I going to do this will likely be perceived as a mistake that’s going to get me expelled from the college?” Khan stated. “Am I going to be within the flawed place on the flawed time?”
He grounds himself in Muslim ideology. He stated that the very best type of jihad, or battle, is to talk the reality within the face of injustice.
“Regardless of who it’s, whether or not Muslim or non-Muslim, it is best to get up for justice, even when it’s in opposition to your self, even when it’s in opposition to your like kinfolk, even when it’s in opposition to the wealthy or the poor.”
And standing with Palestine, Khan stated, is a spiritual obligation as a result of the Muslim group is like one united human physique.
“When the pinnacle of the physique or the arm of the physique feels feverish, the entire physique feels weak and feverish,” he stated. “When one a part of the group is hurting, all of us are hurting.”