Students find place to pray on campus

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Prior to Wednesday, economics senior Ayman Bari had a difficult time finding a place to pray at MSU.

The Muslim religion encourages observers to pray five times a day, and when combined with a busy class schedule, Bari said he has had to improvise and pray in places such as the basement of the Main Library.

“You have to find a corner and just pray,” he said.

Bari was one of the first people to use MSU’s newest religious facility at an opening dedication ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Reflection Room in Anthony Hall.

The Reflection Room, Room 1277 of Anthony Hall, is MSU’s first designated location allowing students of all faiths to come pray, meditate or talk with other students about their beliefs, said Lee June, the vice president for Student Affairs and Services.

“It’s an effort to allow people who just want to take some time out and reflect, whether it’s praying, mediating or doing some deep thinking, we want to have some of these locations on campus to allow people to do that,” June said.

The university plans to find several more locations for similar rooms around campus, and June said the process could be completed within the next few years.

The new room will help Bari and many other MSU students who are trying to find a proper prayer space in their busy schedule, he said.

“We’re supposed to be praying five times a day and it’s hard to find a place on campus,” Bari said. “The university is reaching out to us — for everyone. It’s not just for Muslims, it’s for everyone, and that really means a lot. This type of thing would start dialogues with all types of faiths.”

The effort to establish the room was propelled by students, said Denise Maybank, the senior associate vice president for Student Affairs and Services.

“Muslim students in particular were pushing for a place that they could pray and would accommodate the things that they need,” Maybank said. “It’s a matter of reflecting our values. We talk about quality, inclusivity and connectivity and those are the things that are represented in something like this.”

Although much of the work to create the room was done by Muslim students, the center still is dedicated to people of all faiths and beliefs, Maybank said.

International relations junior and MSU Hillel President Geoff Levin attended the dedication ceremony and donated several yarmulkes for visitors to use during prayer. The room shows the religious students of MSU that their desires are being met, Levin said.

“It shows the university is behind students of all faiths and they’re trying to accommodate their needs,” he said.

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