As those around the country and the world reflect on the events of Sept. 11, 2001, some of the Muslim faith reflect upon how their lives have changed since the attack six years ago.

The plans of terrorists unfolded six years ago today as four commercial airplanes were hijacked and rerouted, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people. This incident brought the entire country to a halt as government agencies, airports and other institutions were shut down.

While the nation coped with the aftereffects of the attacks, negative stereotypes began to arise toward people resembling the reported terrorists; specifically, toward dark-skinned, Muslim men and women.

A small group of Muslim students at Iowa State believe that some misunderstanding and negativity about their heritage and religion continues to effect opinions on campus.

An ISU graduate student, who preferred to remain anonymous, was finishing up high school in Ohio when the news of the attack swept across the country. Having established a group of close friends, she was never looked upon or questioned by anyone in her high school or neighborhood after the attacks, although she never had articulated her personal religious beliefs previously. After the attacks, her life went on unchanged in Ohio.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree at Ohio State University, she began her graduate work at Iowa State. It was then that she began to notice a more direct effect of profiling. Because of her appearance and religious beliefs, she became a target for demanding questions made from her fellow ISU students.

“Since September 11, the most common portrayals in the media of Muslims and those of Middle Eastern descent are associated with terrorism,” she said. “Given this, when people come across anyone who resembles the stereotypical Middle Eastern appearance, the most salient thing in their mind is the constant, negative media association of Muslims and terrorism.”

This stereotyping resulted in her becoming a prime suspect to other students who wanted questions answered concerning the Sept. 11 attacks, and she was called out many times.

Taqwa Gilani, Muslim and junior in chemical engineering, was living in Kashmir, India, at the time of the attacks. She recalls thinking that innocent people died when she heard of the attacks, and it frightened her.

Some Muslim men and women around her in Kashmir felt incredible happiness with the announcement simply because they were glad something had happened to the “all-powerful United States of America.”

In fall 2005, after moving overseas to Iowa, Gilani started school at Iowa State. Dressed in traditional Islamic attire, she said people stared at her as she walked around. On occasion, people asked her why her head was draped in cloth. Other students were eager to know more about her culture and religion.

While she was at times a target, she did feel that some positive understanding came for people of the Muslim faith.

“There were some positive effects for Muslims after 9/11,” she said. “Because more people were made aware of other cultures, some were eager to learn more about the Muslim faith. People in bigger cities started reading the Quran to find links between terrorism and the Muslim faith and when they couldn’t, a lot of people converted.”

Prospects were not always so bright at Iowa State, as people still profiled her and questioned her beliefs, but Gilani stood strong in her faith.

In a recently released video, Osama bin Laden spoke briefly about keeping the Muslim faith powerful.

Gilani however, does not think this video will cause more negative stereotyping toward Muslim people thanks to a greater understanding and more awareness that has been brought to the country in the last six years.

“People are so exposed to terrorism now that I don’t think this video will make them treat Muslims in America any more differently than how they are treated now,” she said.

Heba Kamal, Muslim and junior in elementary education, agrees.

“Generally, I think that a lot of people – but not all of them – think that Muslims are terrorists or angry and unfriendly people. The truth is that there is terrorism and extremism in every religion and society and that these extreme cases do not represent the majority,” she said.

Kamal believes ISU students should try to learn more about the Muslim faith instead of relying on information usually showing extremism in the Muslim faith.

“I think that it is really important to put an end to unawareness and misunderstandings that encourage hate and stereotypes. No matter what religion or topic is in question, I would encourage people to educate themselves from various trusted sources so that they don’t jump to [what are] many times false and misleading conclusions,” she said.