By Allan MadridThe Daily Northwestern

As a member of the Deeva Dance Troupe, Hibah Yousuf was used to bumping her body to the rhythms of classical Indian and hip-hop music in front of large audiences.

For her, the sleeveless shirts and black pants that accentuated her hips during performances were standard. The cheers and cat-calls belted out by student audiences, which included both men and women, were expected. The black hair that bounced up and down with the beat was a lifestyle.

But Yousuf’s lifestyle changed in December after going on the hajj, the required pilgrimage to Mecca in Islam. She quit dancing in public, at least in front of men, and adopted a new fashion accessory: the hijab, a traditional head scarf to denote modesty and reverence to God.

“I realized everything I do should be for God,” the Medill sophomore said. “Wearing the hijab and looking at myself in the mirror daily reminds me of that and helps me practice my faith better than I did before.”

Yousuf, one of an estimated 200 Muslim students at Northwestern, forms part of a larger movement of Muslim American college students who, according to experts, are adopting outward manifestations of their Islamic faith.

In most cases, these students are the children of an estimated 4 million Muslims who immigrated to the United States over the last 40 years. While their parents often abandoned their Islamic cultural identity to assimilate into American society, the college generation of Muslims is embracing it.

“What we see is the second generation being more comfortable in expressing their religiosity,” said Hadia Mubarak, former president of the National Muslim Students Association. “This identity problem doesn’t exist because they already see themselves as American.”

But being more comfortable with religion doesn’t mean self-segregation. According to a 2005 poll done by the Muslim American Public Affairs Council, more than half of Muslim Americans between the ages of 14 and 26 feel no conflict between their Muslim and American identities.

Muslims at NU say they feel no different. Living in co-ed dorms and watching “Grey’s Anatomy” with friends, Muslims here are showing pride in their religion while living comfortably amid the midterm-cramming, party-hopping American college lifestyle that sometimes seems at odds with their faith.

For them, college and Islam are not mutually exclusive – they’re easily reconcilable.

‘PRETTY MUCH NORMAL’

Because “hijabis” – Muslim women who wear a hijab – must follow a sense of modesty, Yousuf knew wearing a hijab would mean no longer performing dance routines with the Deevas. Some Islamic scholars say the hijab should be worn in the presence of members of the opposite sex other than family members.

But Yousuf didn’t leave the Deevas entirely. Although the hijab prevents her from dancing in front of men, she still choreographs routines and plans to perform with the group in the spring at an all-girls talent show.

Most Muslims at NU have followed similar paths of reconciliation. They are part of almost every campus group, from sororities to A&O Productions, showing their faith is no barrier to joining any collegiate organization.

For Weinberg sophomore Mohammad Ahmad, a member of the NU crew team, reconciliation sometimes takes extra effort, especially during Ramadan, a monthlong religious holiday when Muslims fast during daylight. He said the mix of waking up for practice between 4 and 5 a.m. and going without food the whole day “kills” his grades.

“It takes a lot of self control and like, just balls,” Ahmad said. “But you get through it – it’s doable.”

Having to cover up during sports activities doesn’t stop Muslim women from participating. Many said they were involved in sports and dance teams at their high schools, and some still go the gym and play basketball with friends.

“The hijab has never restrained me,” said Fatima Zaheer, a Weinberg sophomore who goes to the gym in long-sleeves, sweats and a head scarf. “(At the gym), people are always like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ But it’s something you get used to.”

Muslims at NU also are quick to point out that their devotion to Allah does not mean they reject American pop culture. They spend hours logged onto Facebook.com and AOL Instant Messenger, watch movies and listen to Kanye West and Metallica.

“I love rap music, I love watching MTV and I love ‘Grey’s Anatomy,'” said Medill senior Ramah Kudaimi. “Muslims don’t just sit and study the Quran in their rooms all day. Minus the drinking, we’re pretty much normal.”

‘AT SOCIAL ODDS’

The everyday college fare of dating, drinking and partying is either questioned or strictly prohibited in the Islamic faith.

“Deciding whether to date or drink is the Muslim version of adolescent struggles,” said Ausma Khan, editor in chief of Muslim Girl Magazine and a former legal studies professor at NU. “In college, where opportunities to partake in alcohol abound, Muslim students can find those things tough to regulate.”

But like in most religions, interpretations of the requirements of Islam vary. Some students allow themselves to party and date, while others refuse to shake hands with members of the opposite sex.

Yousuf said she doesn’t drink or attend parties centered around alcohol because it could put her in a vulnerable situation. She also chooses not to date.

“There’s no specific rule that says you can’t date, (but) there are behavioral rules that say you can’t be alone in a room with a guy,” Yousuf said.

Some Muslim men also refrain from the party scene.

“Religiously speaking, it’s wrong, and I can kind of see why,” said Weinberg junior Ahmad Salah. “It can lead to all sorts of problems.”

Some women said abstaining from intimate relations with men becomes much easier when they don the hijab. Hijabis agree it’s like a stop sign that prevents men from asking them out or making unwanted advances.

“I do feel more protected,” said Yasmeen Khan, a Weinberg sophomore who started wearing a hijab in January. “People are still friendly with you, but they also know that you are off limits.”

Medill senior Tasneem Chithiwala, who is Muslim and does not wear the hijab, takes a more liberal approach. For her, Islam makes room for a healthy balance between college culture and spirituality.

“I go out and I have a social life, but that doesn’t mean that I’m less religious,” said Chithiwala, who parties and dates. “I don’t feel like I have to justify my behavior to anyone as long as I have a good connection with my faith, and I do.”

Those who abstain from beer and physical contact with the opposite sex said their lives are far from boring. They know how to have fun in different ways.

“Sometimes we throw all-girls parties so we don’t have to wear the scarf around,” Kudaimi said. “It’s a way for people to get dressed up really nice, dance, eat good food. They’re regular parties, just without the guys.”

These gatherings also help Muslims give one another mutual support in the face of what they view as temptations.

“(Muslims) are at social odds with a lot of students in the university,” said Amir Siddiqui, a Weinberg senior. “But the Muslim guys are always hanging out. They go bowling, they play basketball, and that kind of provides support for the different restrictions we have here.”

‘Getting comfortable’

On Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 and 3 p.m., Yousuf leaves her Arabic class and runs down to the basement of University Hall. In a clean spot under the stairwell, she lays out a small mat and bows down upon it, putting her head below her heart while facing northeast, toward Mecca.

Yousuf follows one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which mandates that all Muslims pray five times a day.

With NU’s fast-paced quarter system and a midterm cycle that repeats itself every three weeks, fitting in five prayers that last about five to 10 minutes each day could be
demanding for any student. But NU Muslims said fulfilling the rituals requires advance planning more than anything.

“It’s a little bit of a challenge,” Weinberg sophomore Shiraaz Rahman said. “It’s not as easy as it would be if I wasn’t Muslim, but it’s extremely manageable.”

Almost all Muslim students said their days are scheduled so that prayers can be done in their dorm rooms or apartments. When classes or meetings interfere, they resort to empty classrooms or clean corners inside school buildings.

Students with classes in the Technological Institute have access to a Tech prayer card that lists which rooms are open at certain hours of the day. The prayer card, many said, is proof that NU professors and administrators are eager to accommodate their needs.

“I’ve never gotten the answer ‘No, you can’t go pray’ from anyone here,” Siddiqui said. “It’s all a matter of getting comfortable with openly expressing your religion.”

In the fall, Muslim students fast during the day as required by Ramadan. For most, college makes the physically demanding experience much more bearable and meaningful.

“The days go by so fast when I’m here that I don’t even feel it,” said Weinberg junior Saad Ranginwala. “And just being able to break the fast (with other Muslims at NU) is something really special that I don’t think many other groups have.”

Planning and adjusting extends to living situations, too.

Most Muslim women take advantage of all-female dorms just because “it makes life easier,” said Weinberg junior Munira Karim, who lived in Hobart House for two years. “You don’t have to walk around wearing the hijab all the time.”

But some do brave the co-ed dorms.

Yousuf, who lives in Willard Residential College, said her roommate lets her know whenever a male friend is visiting. And when she wants to leave her room for a quick bathroom run, she throws on a hooded sweatshirt.

‘home away from home’

Living comfortably in college would be impossible without a healthy Muslim community, students said. At NU, the Muslim community has more than stepped up to task.

Communication freshman Tasha Richardson, who converted to Islam last summer, said she decided to come to NU because of the great impression the Muslim community left on her when she was a prospective student.

“I just really liked the atmosphere,” said Richardson, who went bowling with a group of Muslim students from NU before she even started school.

The Muslim-cultural Students Association, with about 110 active members, is aware of its special role on campus and makes sure all Muslim students – whether they’re Shia, Sunni, liberal, conservative, Indian, African or from other backgrounds – feel like they have a family here.

“College is usually the first time students are away from home, and it’s easy to get lost,” said Siddiqui, McSA’s president. “(McSA) gives them the sense of being at a home away from home. Giving people that comfort is our first priority.”

To better nurture a healthy community, McSA is working with administrators to bring a Muslim chaplain to NU. Currently, the organization is completely student-run.

The strength of the Muslim community comes partly from the mutual respect among students of different backgrounds and interpretations of Islam.

Lora Alkhawam, a Weinberg junior who does not wear the hijab, said she has nothing but “the utmost respect” for hijabis and considers the hijab “the most beautiful expression of faith.” On the other hand, Atiya Haque, a Weinberg freshman who has been wearing the hijab since age 4, said she holds nothing against more liberal Muslims, adding that she understands people “were just raised differently.”

With a strong support system, enjoying college while being a Muslim just takes confidence and maturity in their faith, students said.

“I don’t see any reason why being a Muslim makes it so hard to live that you can’t have a good college life,” said Weinberg senior Samina Sulemanjee. “A lot of Muslims enjoy college. It’s what you make it out to be.”

Reach Allan Madrid at [email protected].