Muslim Students find Time to Pray in Hectic College Life

Before the sun rises, international relations junior Mohammed Rathur wakes up to pray.

As a Muslim, he prays five times a day.

Religion isn’t a common thing people share with their classmates and professors, but Rathur said he sees MSU as a diverse campus in terms of religion.

Praying five times a day seems strict, but dietetics junior Katy Hollobaugh said she sees it as being to the heart and soul what food is to the body.

Hollobaugh said prayer usually lasts around five minutes and it does not interfere with her work or school schedule. There are windows of time in which prayer can happen.

“We would like to schedule activities around prayer, however, as college students we don’t always have that ability,” Hollobaugh said.

Rathur said he has an application on his phone called iPray, which helps to give accurate prayer times no matter where someone is.

“Muslims are such a huge minority in this country ... (but) it’s a growing population,” Rathur said.

He said he has never experienced any kind of hate crime. People are more curious than anything, especially because of how Muslim people are portrayed on TV or in movies, he explained.

As a freshman, Rathur lived in Holmes Hall and said by talking with roommates or people on his floor, he was able to show how he is like other college students.

“There is not a clear or proper or fair view of what (a) Muslim is,” Rathur said.

Microbiology junior Aquila Hussain said she feels Muslim people need to show they are good people because everyone else shows the bad.

Some women choose to wear the hijab, which is a veil that covers the head and neck.

By wearing the hijab, Hollobaugh said she has experienced an increased level of respect toward her.

“I feel like when I’m wearing it, people are talking to me and listening to me for my thoughts,” Hollobaugh said. “The idea behind wearing it, in addition to modesty, is to concentrate on what is on the inside rather than the outside.”

However, wearing it is a personal choice. Hussain said she dresses modestly in other ways, such as not wearing crop tops or showing cleavage.

“I personally believe the age is changing and I don’t need to cover my hair to dress modestly,” Hussain said.

More often than not, Hollobaugh said people are curious about her faith.

She said she would rather answer the questions people have about her faith, than have them making incorrect assumptions about Muslim people.

“People are worried that Muslims are easily offended and I would like people to know we are not afraid to answer questions as long as they are not meant to be offensive,” Hollobaugh said.