The Muslim Student Association (MSA) is a student organization on campus that aims to provide a safe space for Muslim students while providing education for non-muslim members.

“One of our mission statements is to bring all of the Muslims [on campus] together to meet each other,” Salaahudeen Jung, a junior studying kinesiology and health and president of the MSA, said. “Coming to a state university that has like 30,000 students is not easy at first. It’s not easy to find other people that you might resonate with. That was the reason I stayed [in the MSA]. Being able to resonate with people in a smaller environment.”

The MSA was originally a student organization on campus prior to COVID-19, but unfortunately, the organization shut down due to a lack of participation. Now, the MSA is a fully functioning student organization again, all thanks to the help of multiple graduate students with a passion for educating others on Muslim life.

“I joined the MSA in an effort of reviving [it,]” Mahmoud Gshash, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering and vice president of the MSA, said. “A couple of graduate students wanted to restart the MSA, and unfortunately by the time they got all the paperwork done with the university, it was time for them to graduate.”

Gshash stepped in as a member of the MSA to help get the organization started again. The year after its revival in 2020, Gshash became the president of the MSA.

After serving some time as president of the organization, Gshash decided it was time to step aside from the role. He had welcomed a child into his family and decided that the role of president would be better suited for someone who had more time to devote to the organization.

“I ran the MSA for a year and a half,” Gshash said. “I felt like it was time to pass the torch, and Salaahudeen is doing a great job right now.

Now, Gshash serves as the vice president of the MSA in order to provide support and guidance to members who may need it.

The MSA holds weekly events every Friday around 6 p.m. The events change every week, with different locations for each event. Any member who would like to join the MSA can find the application on the MSA website. After joining the organization, students will be added to the mailing list that includes the date, time and location of the weekly meetings.

“When I went to my first meeting I realized there’s a lot more going on than just within my little dorm,” Jung said. “There was a whole mosque I didn’t know about with a lot of older guys spearheading the projects, helping out the younger people to get comfortable at Iowa State.

Jung originally joined the MSA due to the difficulty of connecting with other Muslim students on campus. Now, he helps coordinate meetings, events and tabling opportunities to connect other Muslim students with the MSA.

“The MSA is not just for Muslims,” Jung said. “It’s a major benefit for Muslims, but there’s also a benefit for non-Muslims who enjoy learning about it. I encourage all non-Muslims to join if they can, to learn that Islam is not how the media presents it. It’s completely different.”

Any student interested in the MSA can visit their website or follow their Instagram page.