RORY MACLEAN
News Editor

The University of Saskatchewan Muslim Students Association is launching the annual Islam Awareness Week Jan. 25 in a bid to open up a dialogue with fellow students.

“The goal is primarily in its name,” said Joel Schindel, secretary for the MSA. “We want to be able to raise awareness on campus about who we are, about what is Islam. But more so, we want to engage people.”

For Muslims, Islam is more than just a religion. It’s a way of life, he said.

“It encompasses every aspect of life and that is something that people find very interesting because that’s not the norm here.”

The event has been held on campus for over 10 years. Last year it brought in about 500 attendees.

“This year we’re bringing three different scholars from Montreal, Toronto and Halifax to speak on the theme of ”˜the last one,’ which is the life of our profit Mohammad, peace be upon him,” he said.

Muslims believe in many prophets, including some shared with Christians and Jews, like Abraham, Moses and Jesus, but they believe that Mohammad was the last and most important prophet and messenger.

During the week, the MSA will also set up a booth in the Arts Tunnel to promote the lectures and provide an informal venue for anyone with a question about the world’s fastest growing religion.

“We want to make it as welcoming as possible, so anyone who has questions can have some way to get answers. A woman, for example, may not want to hear about Muslim women from a man,” said Schindel. “And not everybody is comfortable asking questions in a lecture.”

Schindel feels it is important to open up a dialogue in Saskatoon because the Muslim community has grown so much over the last few years.

“Saskatoon has not traditionally had a large Muslim population like Montreal or Toronto…. You have more immigrants coming and it’s something that’s quite different. Our community has actually grown by about 50 per cent in the last few years,” he said.

“We are your co-workers, we are your bosses, your neighbours.”

“I know that people have questions that are burning; I know it. I want them to feel free to come and ask me; if they see me praying, bowing my head to the floor.”

Food Bank donations will also be collected at the lectures, which begin on Wednesday, Jan. 27.