The Muslim Students Association celebrated Eid on NE Campus with food, games and discussions.
Eid is an Islamic holiday celebrated twice a year: One is Eid-ul-Fitr, which is observed when the month of Ramadan ends, and the other is Eid-ul-Adha, which is after the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
The student organization is not new to TCC. A club was established on SE Campus for a number of years. NE had a MSA that hasn’t been active in recent years.
NE student Salma Sayed, who is the president of the MSA, said she hasn’t been part of the college culture until recently, only going to classes and then leaving. She said she was looking for a sense of community on campus.
“I want this club to grow big, to teach other students about Islamic culture and to support the community,” Sayed said.
She said the purpose of MSA is to support not only Muslim students but also any students on campus who want to join the club.
When Sayed and others first considered starting the club in 2024, they ran into a problem finding members. This year, they were able to find more interested people.
She said this was her first time organizing a club, and it was difficult to navigate the process, but she found people to help her.
The MSA plans to participate in community service and volunteer activities within the college and the North Texas community.
“We’re welcoming everyone, no matter their religion and we want to support students spiritually, academically,” Sayed said.
Omar Elmangoushi said he enjoys Eid celebrations because they allow him to spend time with his family and feel a sense of community.
“I just saw a bunch of people from my childhood that I haven’t seen in so long,” Elmangoushi said. “It’s always so nice to see them. You know, I get like, flashbacks of good memories I used to have with them.”
While Eid here in Texas doesn’t compare to Eid in Sudan, where he is originally from, he said he still treasures the time spent with his father, brother and cousin.
He joined the MSA to be around people who shared his interests and to make new friends.
Many students who attended the event, including Mohamed Bilal, emphasized the importance of having a community on campus, celebrating with friends who came to the event and the inclusivity of the MSA.
Mehrangiz Paiman said she had looked forward to celebrating Eid on campus with friends. Some of her personal traditions for Eid include putting on henna. Her Eid day is filled with family activities.
“After Eid prayers, we go to breakfast together with my dad, our family, and my uncle’s family,” Paiman said.
Rukhsar Ghafoori, who helped organize the event, said she wanted the MSA to be a positive experience for students so they could spend time together and enjoy life on campus.
The next MSA meeting is on May 5. The organizers said they plan to post flyers all around campus and send announcements to their members on their Canvas page.
