Be a “person who provides positive energy and change wherever you walk.”
NEWARK, New Jersey – The Student Government Association at Rutgers University-Newark in New Jersey, has got its first Muslim president, Sabrina Ahmed, a Hijabi daughter of two Muslim immigrants, Patch reported on October 3.
“Yes me – a covered Muslim woman – got elected by a majority of students here to serve as your student body president,” Ahmed said in her speech.
Stepping into Rutgers was a whole new experience for the young Muslim girl who recalls conjuring up images of her first day at school, freshly implanted from a Morris County suburb to one of the most diverse cities in America.
“Our campus leaders have come from so many different backgrounds and have had such unique experiences. It’s these experiences that strengthen the bond of community that exists at Rutgers,” the new Student’s President said.
Newark is the most populous city in the state of New Jersey with a total population of 281,764 in 2016. According to Pew Forum’s 2014 report, Muslim represented 3% of the population of New Jersey which numbered nine million people.
Ahmed added that she has been able to befriend people who look like her and who share the same interests, but more importantly, she has been “able to step out and have amazing experiences with people who are so different from me.”
“Allow yourself to feel for everyone, not just people like you, and most importantly, turn that empathy into action,” she urged her peers. “Stand up and stand with those that need you. Be an ally. And most importantly, be a friend.”
“I believe in being a person who provides positive energy and positive change wherever you walk. Part of that wisdom includes realizing that we aren’t all the same… and that’s just fine,” she said.
This concept is similarly emphasized in the Qur’anic verse which says: {O you mankind, surely We created you of a male and a female, and We have made you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted. Surely the most honorable among you in the Providence of Allah are the most pious; surely Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Cognizant.} Surat Al-Hujurat [49:13].
Exploring the Qur’anic verses thoroughly will find that, in its entirety, it presents an integrated Qur`anic methodology concerning coexistence and the treatment of non-Muslims.
It’s noteworthy that the variation in the manner of treating non-Muslims doesn’t stem from a methodological inconsistency; rather, it depends on the different attitudes of the people we deal with.
People are different [with respect to behavior] and thus they mustn’t be judged alike. It’s considered a methodical injustice to generalize what has been made specific or to specify what has been left general in legal texts.
The Islamic civilization is a testament to this principle of coexistence and it took pride in combining the geniuses of all races, faiths, and backgrounds to shape its success.