Abdul Hamid E

Muslim Youth - Followers or Leaders? Abdul Hamid E

Muslims at University are faced with many problems, obstacles and challenges. Whether they are in their home cities or have moved, having left home for the first time. They prepare themselves for the problems of coping with the workload, organising their time, accommodation and coursework. Although these problems are real and cannot be overlooked they are just the tip of the iceberg.


Ironically in the first week at university the first problems they face will not be organising their time or coping with the workload. In the first weeks they're likely to be invited to a party by their department, their colleagues will invite them to go clubbing and the Student Union will invite everyone to a pub-crawl. At the fresher's fair every society will try and sign them up including the clubbing society with their promises of cheap beer and discounts at the clubs and the Asian society who will be promoting their "bhangra do's" and parties.


This leaves Muslims with a real dilemma: should we go with the flow and compromise our identity or stick to our principles and risk being called "anti-social". So how do Muslim students face this dilemma?