Iron Imaan
by Hamza Yacoob We all have spiritual high and lows. One day we feel like we're on the top and other days we feel like we're on the bottom. Some days the end of the light is so far and some days it's right in front of us. But thru it all remember you're only human. You do the best with what you can and leave the rest to the Almighty. You won't be judged off your results but rather your efforts. Find the superhero inside of you and conquer your desires.
A Final Word
by Mahmood Huda Well it’s been real IOC. Don’t you see? It sure has been an interesting few years. And never did I think I’d be reduced to mere tears. This organization has given me so much And that isn’t just a hunch. Alright, I know that was pretty cliché But the memories fill the bay. Never did I think there were so many like-minded individuals Who shared the same jewels, Especially those in the anime lobby Who understood the Kamehameha hobby And didn’t brush it off as some simple activity While sipping their superior tea. Making mentors from all these folks Turned all the sorrow into some great jokes. All the created nicknames Have taken the shape of many forms of games. Glad to have partaken in the best…
We Can Be Our Own Worst Enemies
by Afrah Ahmed Salam, everyone. If you don’t know me, my name is Afrah and I’m a third-year Telecom Production major (it’s just a weird name for film/media production). As Muslims and racial minorities in America, we are generally quick to express our struggles with fitting in and being discriminated against on the basis of religion or race-- and rightly so. However, as swiftly as we point out injustices against Muslims, we just as readily hurt our own people. First, I would like to acknowledge that Muslims are incredibly ethnically and culturally diverse. Therefore, my experiences as a Pakistani-American who’s spent most of her life in New York will have been different than those of, say, an Egyptian American who has grown up in Florida. Now that I’ve gotten that…
FAST-A-THON 2018 RISING TOGETHER
by Isra'a Ilyas Fast-A-Thon at the University of Florida is truly one of a kind. It is IOC’s largest dawah event, inviting up to 800 guests each year, and raising over $5000 to donate to a local, and global charity. FAT has a special place in my heart, it was the first event that allowed me to really get involved on campus and learn the behind the scenes of how IOC and other student organizations play a key role in educating students and the rest of the gainesville population. After 2 years of being on the FAT committee, I was blessed with the opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills as FAT Chair. I want to say that being FAT Chair was probably my first experience as the head of a…
A Case For Inclusivity
by Sofia Lopez Garzon Given recent events worldwide, in particular the terrorist attack in New Zealand (may Allah grant the deceased Jannah), I feel the world could use more understanding, more tolerance, and a reminder that we are all human. As a revert, the events that have brought me to embrace and love Islam, having taken place over several years, would have been impossible without these things. That’s why it sparks my emotions when, being a part of the Muslim community which has been so accepting and welcoming, I see other Muslims ignoring people of different backgrounds and their traditions. Of course, Muslims trying to prevent their brothers and sisters from taking part in foreign traditions like Diwali, Christmas, and Holi just to name a few, are well-intentioned and focused…
