Weekly MSA-L
MUSLIM STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION @ UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ST.GEORGE CAMPUS
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Peace Be Upon You!
1. Upcoming Events
- Break of Dawn (February 9)
- Sisters QCC at McMaster (February 10)
- Poetry Anthology
- Pharmacy Info Night (February 27)
2. MSA Wants YOU! - Volunteer Opportunities
- Orphan Sponsorship Program
- Leaders for Sisters
- MSA Alumni Society
- MSA Housing Society
- Islam Awareness Week
3. Halaqas and Study Circles
- Lessons From the Qur’an (February 5)
- Qur’an Memorization Halaqa
- Tajweed Halaqa (February 
5. MSA News in Brief
- McMaster Medschool Interviews
- ProGrad Can Help You
- Reduce Tuition Fees
- Friday Prayers at Hart House
- Executive Meeting
1. UPCOMING EVENTS
BREAK OF DAWN: Join the UTSC and St. George MSA for an evening of poetry, art and comedy, featuring spoken word artists such as Amir Sulaiman and Sofia Baig, comedian Dave Meherje and any more. The event will be held on Friday, February 9, 6pm - 9pm at the OISE Auditorium (252 Bloor St. W). Admission is $5/person and comes with a “lame-free entertainment” guarantee! Reserve your ticket online!
QIRATUL QUR’AN COMPETITION (QCC): The sisters segment of the QCC will be held at McMaster University on Saturday, February 10. This is a sisters-only event and we encourage you to attend and support the St. George MSA team. For more details about the event, please email msa.religious @ gmail.com.
POETRY ANTHOLOGY: The MSA’s Poetry Society is pleased to run its 2nd Annual Poetry Anthology. All Muslim university students across the GTA are invited to submit their original poems for the Anthology to be launched in late March 2007. Entries must be submitted electronically using MS Word format (Times New Roman and 12pt font) with a maximum of 50 lines per poem. A maximum of three (3) poems can be submitted. Entries must include full name, desired pseudonym, complete contact information, university, program and year of study. All entries should be emailed to msa.anthology2007@yahoo.com before Monday, February 19, 2007. Please distribute this excellent opportunity to be a published poet widely! Want to help in publishing, judging or the launch event? Email muslimvoice@yahoo.ca with the subject line “Anthology 2007″.
PHARMACY INFO NIGHT: Want to become a pharmacist? Writing the entrance exam in a few weeks? The annual MSA Pharmacy Info Night will take place on Tuesday, February 27th at 5:00pm (location TBA) Get the inside scoop on the entrance exam and all aspects of the program from Muslim pharmacy students who will be there to answer your questions. To make sure there’s enough FREE FOOD for everyone attending, please R.S.V.P. to profac_msa_uoft@hotmail.com if you plan on attending. All are welcome!
2. MSA Wants YOU!
ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM (OSP): Would you like to make a difference in the life of an orphan? Would you like to help out and gain experience volunteering with one of the most (if not the most) successful ongoing fundraising initiatives in student history? You’ve come to the right place - the OSP is on the hunt for dedicated individuals to volunteer and take on committee positions. If you’re interested in helping out and/or want to know more about the orphans we are currently sponsoring, then come to the upcoming OSP meeting at the International Student Centre (33 St. George Street, St.George and College) on Friday, February 9, from 3:30 - 5:15 pm (ask front desk for exact location of meeting room). For more information, email osp.uoft@yahoo.ca, or visit www.ospuoft.wordpress.com.
LEADERS FOR SISTERS: Wanted - Fun, enthusiastic, and outgoing sisters such as yourself. Yes, you! Have great ideas for sisters-only events? Then join the Sisters’ Events Committee, and “lead” the way to organize fun, and exciting events! We are currently looking for sisters to help organize the following events:
- Winter Carnival
- Poetry and Arts Night
- Sisters-only trip
If you are interested in organizing any of these events, OR if you would like to be a volunteer for the Sisters’ Committee, please send an email to israhenaz@hotmail.com
MSA ALUMNI SOCIETY: The MSA’S Alumni Committee is looking for volunteers. And because we like being secretive and a tad bit shady, if you are interested in finding out more, you’ll need to email sa.alumni@gmail.com. And on a semi-related note, if you are an alumnus or know of any alumni who would like to be a member of the MSA Alumni Society, please send an email to msa.alumni@gmail.com with name, date of graduation, and program.
MSA HOUSING SOCIETY: The Housing Society is intended to facilitate our members who are in search of a place to live either around campus or in Toronto. The Housing Society page has been updated to allow you to post your own requests. As the forums are moderated, posts could be delayed by upto 24 hours. For suggestions and concerns please contact msa.religious @ gmail.com.
ISLAM AWARENESS WEEK: Our annual Islam Awareness Week is coming soon in March and sleepless nights have thus commenced. Help make this year’s IAW bigger and better than ever! We need people with ideas (grand ones, mind you), and people to help coordinate our exhibit, food, lectures, and publicity. For more information, please contact Ilyas Ally at msa_outreach@yahoo.ca
3. HALAQAS AND STUDY CIRCLES
LESSONS FROM THE QUR’AN: “Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand” (Qur’an 12:2). How many chapters of the Qur’an have you memorized, but have no idea what they mean? If your answer is one or more (zero works too) then this halaqa is just for you! Learn the meanings and explanations of the short surahs of the Qur’an with Shaykh Abdul Munem. Don’t miss out on this uplifting, interactive series of lectures, complete with questions, answers, and refreshments. See you there on Monday February 5, right after Maghrib in Bahen Centre Room 4010.
QUR’AN MEMORIZATION HALAQA: Want to memorize more of the Qur’an? Find yourself forgetting all that you once knew? We have just the thing for you! Join other dedicated students like yourself in the MSA’s Qur’an memorization halaqa. Each week, a passage of the Qur’an will be chosen, and participants will help and motivate each other to memorize it. Last term, participants memorized both Surah Maryam (chapter 19) and Surah ar-Rahman (chapter 55)! Sisters will be meeting every Wednesday from 11:30am - 12:30pm at the Rose Wolfe Room in the ISC. For the brothers’ group, please contact msa.religious @ gmail.com with your availability, so that we can schedule our meetings at a time that’s convenient for you. Don’t pass up this excellent opportunity - remember, “The best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” [Reported by Bukhaaree]
TAJWEED HALAQA: The Tajweed halaqa takes place every Thursday in BA2195 (Bahen Center) after Maghrib prayers. The halaqa is open to all and special accommodations are available for sisters.
4. MOVERS AND SHAKERS
“A SENSE OF LOSS”: Arsalan Shirazi, a member and active volunteer for the MSA, is the writer and publisher of a fictional novel entitled “A Sense of Loss.” The book was
inspired by the unusually large number of homicides which took place in Toronto in 2005 and deals with issues such as youth violence and dealing with the loss of loved ones. The novel is available online and in stores everywhere, and a percentage of his personal profits from all novel sales will be used to create scholarships for at risk youth. Imam Zaid Shakir of the Zaytuna Institute has high praise for the book: “Arsalan Shirazi has written a moving and captivating novel dealing with some of the tough issues surrounding immigration, race relations, and most importantly, the much misunderstood youth culture and its attendant violence. Shirazi takes us into the heart of that culture in a brilliant way.” On behalf of the MSA, we congratulate Arsalan on this great achievement and encourage you to read his work and support him.
If you know of other Muslims at UofT with similar achievements or other significant accomplishments, please email us at msa.exec@utoronto.ca.
5. MSA NEWS IN BRIEF
PROGRAD CAN HELP YOU: Have you applied for any professional or graduate programs for the fall? Are you looking for help with preparation for entrance exams or interviews?
ProGrad can link you with Muslim students already in these fields, so drop a line to profac_msa_uoft@hotmail.com with your request.
MCMASTER MEDSCHOOL INTERVIEWS: This message has been forwarded by Muslim medical students at McMaster University: Anyone who has RECEIVED an interview invitation for McMaster Medical School and would like some help and tips regarding the interview process, email Salma Rawof or Mohammad Zubairi before February 20. In the email, please include your full name, telephone number, and the date of your interview.
REDUCE TUITION FEES: February 7 is the National Day of Action to reduce tuition fees. Students across Canada will take action on their campuses and in front of provincial
legislatures to demand a stop to skyrocketing tuition fees and increasing student debt. Sign up at www.Feb7.ca, for regular updates, to win prizes and more!
FRIDAY PRAYERS AT HART HOUSE: Friday (Jumuah) prayers are held in the Debates Room in Hart House (2nd floor) at 12:20pm and 1:20pm.
EXECUTIVE MEETING: MSA’s Executive Committee meets every Friday at 5:30pm in BA4010 (Bahen Center). Members are welcome to attend. If you would like to speak at the meeting, please notify the exec 48 hours in advance by emailing msa.exec@utoronto.ca.
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MUSLIM STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ST. GEORGE CAMPUS
Website: http://muslim.sa.utoronto.ca/
E-Mail: msa.exec@utoronto.ca
Voicemail: 416-946-7788
Office: 21 Sussex Avenue, Suite 405, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1J6
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