A Nation in Peril, Pakistan: A Post-Flood Evaluation

UChicago for Pakistan is holding a panel discussion with experts to discuss the humanitarian, medical, economic, and security impacts of the floods.

A Nation in Peril Pakistan: A Post-Flood Evaluation
November 18, 2010 6:30pm
International House Assembly Hall (1414 E. 59th Street, Chicago IL 60637)
Reception to follow.
5$ Suggested Donation.

The panel will be comprised of:

Dr. Aisha Sethi is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the University of Chicago Medical Center and is a member of the steering committee of the Global Health Initiative. Dr. Sethi has done fieldwork in Pakistan, St. John's Institute of Dermatology and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London, and the Regional Dermatology Training Center (RDTC) in Tanzani. She has recently returned from a medical flood relief mission to Pakistan.

Mr. Frank Schell is a member of the Dean’s International Council at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies and anindependent senior consultant for Charles River Associate. He is a policy expert of the region; his essays on global affairs and South Asia have appeared in the Far Eastern Economic Review (Wall Street Journal Digital Network), Chicago Tribune, National Strategy Forum Review, and American Spectator.

Huma Yusuf is an award-winning columnist and investigative journalist. She writes a weekly column in the leading Pakistani English-language daily, Dawn, on topics related to security, terrorism, foreign relations, and human rights. Her work recently garnered the Best Column Award from the All Pakistan Newspapers Society.

Dr. Asad Hayauddin is the Consul for Trade and Commerce at The Consulate of Pakistan in Chicago. He has served the Government of Pakistan for over 21 years and has held many important positions, including Director of Administration and Homeland Security for the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration and Chief of Staff to the National Security Advisor of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Funded by Student Government and Global Health Initiative at the University of Chicago.

Minutes Nov 3

Shura retreat on Saturday
• Register if you have not yet done so
• Arrive at 12 for setup
• 1pm at Ida Noyse (East and West lounges)
• dinner but no lunch
• will last until 7pm
Bilal’s stand (movie)
• At Doc (Ida)
• Next Tuesday Nov. 9th
• $280-$250 for Doc (250 for DVD)
• put up fliers as soon as you get them (probably by tomorrow)

Eid al-Adha
• West lounge in Ida
• Go to OHOP after?

High School Proposal
• Try to reach out to Chicago area high school kids
• Jan. 27th-28th (since CPS has off)

Unveiled
• Working to get sponsors
• In 3rd week of winter quarter
• Tuesday, Jan. 25th
• Contact sponsors

Minutes Oct 27

MINUTES for Fastathon
Minute by Minute Break Down
• Call Rahmania and make sure food will arrive by 4:45
• Call the two speakers, make sure they have directions and know how to get here. Make sure they have your contact information. You will be responsible for making sure they get greeted, seated at their reserved table, and bring food to them. Make sure to give them gifts/thank you card before end of ceremony on behalf of MSA. Also, let them know when they should enter stage, and that once they are done speaking, they should remain on stage at the speakers table
- Call and make sure Wallace Goode is here by 5:30 sharp, make sure you get his number via ucsc
- We now have Abdul Malik Ryan, have him contacted and tell him to be here by 5:00pm sharp
• Make and bring signs for directions and food labels
• Make announcement at Jumaa and bring prayer
• Greeters
- We will NOT need to check people’s names, JUST have them SIGN IN.
• Bring cooler from MSA office and ice from Max
• Get Drinks from Harper Foods

3:30 – 4:00 - Gather all decorations, donation box, programs, flyers, surveys, pens, prayer rugs, food warmers, serving spoons, drinks, cups, cutlery, napkins, cooler, and ice and bring them to I-House no later than 4:00.
- There will be a BOX in the MSA office by tonight, ALL PRINTED MATERIALS NEED TO BE IN THAT BOX by 5:00 PM THURSDAY!!
- All STUFF MUST be in office or in Rockefeller Prayer room by 3:30
- EVERYTHING in I-House by 4:00 SHARP.

4:00 - 5:00 - Decoration/Setup Committee, available Shura members, and volunteers
• Set up all tables with centerpieces.
• Place program booklet/flood relief flier on each table setting.
• Place Donations for Flood Relief placard next to jar/centerpiece. (UChicago for Pakistan people should be helping with this).
• Place survey in middle of table with few pens.
• Make sure food tables are also set and ready to go.
• Test AV equipment.
• Have food warmers set on the table. The cooler should be set up and have the drinks and water bottles in there.
- Welcome BANNER should be set on the entrance table.
- BREAK FAST Banner should be made and set on entrance TABLE
• Have table outside with welcoming posterboard, flyer, and 2 donation boxes (Pakistan Flood Relief and GCFD). Remind them to break their fast at 5:49 pm.

Shariah with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Salam everyone!

The MSA will be hosting Faraz Rabbani to come and speak concerning sharia. Here is the email with all the information:

WHAT IS SHARIAH?
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

When: Wednesday, October 27th, 6-7pm
Where: University of Chicago
Stuart Hall, Room 104
5835 South Greenwood Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

Shariah has become a heated topic of discussion in American popular media in recent years. More often than not there is an unclear conception of what Shariah actually is. In this talk, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, a North American Muslim jurist, will discuss the sources, principles, and objectives of Shariah in order to better inform our understanding thereof.

OPEN TO ALL! FOOD PROVIDED!

SPEAKER BIO: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a teacher of Hanafi fiqh and the Islamic sciences. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in Commerce and Economics, he spent three years in Damascus where he studied fiqh, ‘aqida, and other subjects with Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, Shaykh Muhammad Jumu’a, Shaykh Muhammad Qaylish, Shaykh Mu’min al-‘Annan, and others.

After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersGuidance to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge--both online and on the ground--in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner.

With fellow SeekersGuidance teachers Shaykh Yahya Rhodus and Shaykh Omar Qureshi, Shaykh Faraz hopes to establish a model Islamic seminary that will produce Islamic scholars of the highest caliber, through excellence in teaching, curriculum, spiritual training, and a deep spirit of service--with knowledge of both religion and contemporary social and intellectual realities. Shaykh Faraz also serves as a partner and legal advisor with StraightWay Ethical Advisory.

He is the author of Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) In 2009, Shaykh Faraz was named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.

Minutes Oct 20

Dr. Riaz Event
• 7:00pm at Harper 140
• Food (snacks) and drinks
• Shura arrive at 6:15 to help setup, pray maghrib
o Setup after maghrib
• Dr. Riaz will arrive at about 6:30
• Have Q&A for 20 minutes after talk (which will be limited to 45 minutes!)
• Surveys to be given to attendees

Fastathon
Publicity

Nightly ‘Isha prayer at Rockefeller at 8pm

Send email concerning Dr. Riaz event, ‘Isha, Qur’an class

Unveiled

Sherman Jackson
• Do some Malcolm X type of event (maybe as MSA banquet?)
Zaid Shakir
• Sometime during early IAM?
• Topic / Type of event?
• Find out if he can come anytime from Feb-April?

Ingrid Matson

Jack Brown

Sheikh Hussain
• Would be willing to give a talk after Feb.

Sheikh Faraz Rabbani (an MSA only event)
• Oct 27th-28th
• Ask him why he cant come 5th or 4th of Nov.

Umer Farouq Abdullah classes
• Agreed to give free classes at UofC in May/June

IMAN
• Get involved with them, perhaps with other RSOs as well

2 day high school recruitment
• Reach out to youth groups, set it up with administration and bring kids to campus, introduce them to UofC
• Get dining hall passes, etc.
• General body would have to work hard advertising to their high schools and advertise/promote event to students

Minutes Oct 13

Kamran Riaz Next Thursday, Oct. 14th
• Put up your fliers
• Advertise event to your listhosts (Saalika will send intro email)
• Try to be at Harper 140 at 6:15
• Set up place with food/drink etc.
• Someone bring rugs!!
• Have time cards (15, 10, and 5 minutes)
• Have surveys to give out after event

Fastathon  Oct. 29th, starts at 5:30 pm at I-House
• We can incorporate Flood Relief into program
• Have collection jars at each table? (use the glass centerpiece from last year)

Isha email (specify its for everyone)
Qur’an class (send an email on Friday right before class specifically for it)
Co-Sponsors for Fastathon
• Women and Science
• HFS (Hindi Film Society)
• China Care
• Mission for Vision
• SASA
• Interfaith Dialogue
MSA Banquet early February

For Eid…Downtown anyone? Suggestions?

Support UChicago for Pakistan

Bismihi Taa'ala
Asslaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah,

Please join this Facebook group (http://tiny.cc/uchicagopakistanrelief) to support UChicago for Pakistan. UChicago for Pakistan will have its next meeting this Thursday at 9 PM in Harper 150. If you are new to this group, please do not hesitate to join us. We are welcoming new members at any time. Please bring a friend or two with you :)

UChicago for Pakistan will be selling shirts to raise funds for Pakistan Flood Relief.

Buy these awesome t-shirts to support UChicago for Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts. The shirts are bought from the company Rickshaw Lane, which sells high-quality t-shirts with the promise of “buy one, give one.” This means that for each shirt you buy, you are personally donating one shirt to charity.

Each t-shirt will be 10$ and for every shirt that is bought, a shirt is donated by the shirt company to Pakistan flood relief victims. On top of that, all the proceeds from the shirts will also go towards flood relief. By buying these shirts, your not only giving money towards Pakistan Flood Relief, but your also buying another shirt to be donated to flood victims . All of this for 10$ !


Please pre-order the shirts so we can get a sense of how many we should order, and how many of each size :
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AhJvwZ0Np4L4dENhS0p1NThqUm9fT1hTM1VsbDl1MFE&hl=en&authkey=CNrukuEC

If you place a pre-order for a t-shirt you will be notified by email when the shirts are available and where to pick them up from (most likely Reynold's Club):

SPREAD THE WORD!

Ma Salam,
MSA, UChicago for Pakistan

Modern Science and the Quran

Assalamu alaikum everyone!!!

We are inviting Dr. Kamran Riaz this week on Thursday to talk about Modern Science and the Holy Qur'an. He'll touch on why Muslims think the Qur'an is a divine book and could not have been written by a human - he'll also go over the sceintific proof present in the Qur'an that has been proven today :)

It's also a Da'wah event, so be sure to invite others.

I look forward to seeing most of you there, InshaAllah!

Minutes October 6, 2010

“Modern Science and the Quran” with Dr. Kamran Riaz  Next Thursday, Oct. 14th
• Advertise event to your listhosts
• Saad starts with Qur’an recitation at 7:00 pm
• Saalika will do introduction
• Have surveys to give out after event
Fastathon -> Oct. 29th, starts at 5:30 pm at I-House
• We will send out email concerning tabling, sign up for it
• We can incorporate Flood Relief into program
Isha email (specify it’s for everyone)
Qur’an class (send an email on Friday right before class specifically for it)
Co-Sponsors for Fastathon
• Women and Science
• HFS (Hindi Film Society)
• China Care
• Mission for Vision
• SASA
• Interfaith Dialogue
MSA Banquet

First General Body Meeting!

Salam everyone!

I hope your first week went well, and that you got into all the classes you wanted. As you may or may not know, the MSA will be having its General Body Meeting this Wednesday insha Allah. It's actually more of an iftar/general body meeting, so food will also be provided. It will be the first time this year that the MSA gets together, socialize, as well as discuss the upcoming events this quarter. It will be in the basement of Rockefeller, in the Uncommon Room (where we usually have our dinners). Please arrive by 6:30 pm since maghrib will also be prayed. Well, that's all for now. Take care of yourselves.

Assalam u Alaikum.

Minutes September 29, 2010

Science and Qur’an → Third week (October 14th). Dr. Kamran Riaz to speak.
• Harper 140 (event starts at 7pm)
• Interfaith wants to co-sponsor, have them on flier.
• Publicize for the event (it’s coming up soon!)
• Design poster (50 small) to email/print, also get bigger (20) posters, and 2 banners
• Everyone go to your building and put up posters on Monday
• Snacks

Fastathon → October 29th at I-House
• SASA, China Care, Women and Science, and Mission for Vision will co-sponsor
• Altaf Qaisaruddin will be the keynote speaker. Wallace Goode will also give a short speech.
• Have people sitting in front to check guests in.
• Need the Fastathon flier by next week if possible. Also make a FB event for this
• Beginning of 4th week we should have: fliers up, FB group up, emails being sent, tabling

General Body Meeting next Week → next week (Wednesday of 2nd week)
• At 6:30
• A PowerPoint for the meeting
• Food from Edwardo's

RSO Fair → This Friday (3-5:30)
SORT Meeting → 4:15-7:00 this Tuesday
Advertise Qur’an class (Saturdays 3-5pm in conference room) Send out emails (also send email about Jumma @ 1 and 1:45) at 8 in Rockefeller from tomorrow.

Maghrib at the Point!

Salam guys!

Welcome back on campus (for those of you who have already moved in), I hope your summers were well spent and enjoyable. Classes are just around the corner, but before we bury ourselves in books, papers, and problem sets, let's meet and greet each other and perhaps enjoy ourselves just a bit more. The MSA will be having Maghrib at the Point inshaAllah.

Tomorrow, Sunday September 26, We will meet up in front of Reynolds at 6pm, and leave from there at 6:20. There will be people, maghrib, and smores! So it doesn't make sense to not come.

Please try to come as it is the last chance to really unwind before the start of the new academic year. Thats all for now folks, take care of yourselves, and Assalam u Alaikum.

Welcome First Years and Transfers!

Bismihi Ta'ala
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,
InshaAllah, you read this blog post in the best of iman and health.
Alhumdulillah, O Week has begun. The MSA would like to kick off this awesome week with a Meet and Greet today, Monday. Thereafter, we have activities for you throughout the week. If you want more information about the planned activities, visit the Class of 2014 page or click this link http://msa.uchicago.edu/uchicago_msa/class2014.html
We look forward to meeting all of you!
Ma Salam

Eid Prayer this Friday!

Inshallah we will be holding Eid Prayer in Ida Noyes this Friday, September 10. It will take place in the East Lounge, which is one of the rooms on the second floor of Ida Noyes (1212 East 59th Street). The prayer and khutbah will start at 10:00 am, so please plan on arriving a little bit earlier for takbeerat. A light breakfast will be provided, so make sure you stick around after the khutbah. Eid mubarak everyone, and enjoy these last couple weeks of summer!

Iftar Tuesday September 7th

Assalamu alaikum,

There will be an iftar in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 7), hosted by the Hyde Park Muslim Family Circle, inshallah. Maghrib will be at 7:14. Prior to the iftar, some members of the community will be taking part in a group dhikr in the Muslim prayer room (also in the basement of Rockefeller), and it is open to everyone. The iftar will be a potluck provided by members of the Muslim Family Circle, but feel free to bring something to share with the group.

Iftar Thursday September 2nd!

Salam everyone!

I hope your Ramadan is going well and that you are making the most out of this blessed month.

The MSA will be hosting another Iftar inshaAllah. It will take place Thursday in the basement of Rockefeller chapel. For those of you who do not know where Rockefeller Chapel is, the address is 5850 South Woodlawn Avenue. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know the community and your fellow MSA-mates so definitely try to come.

Maghrib will be at 7:23 inshaAllah so please arrive a few minutes earlier. Well that's all for now, stay safe and may Allah grant us the ability to make the most out of the remainder of this holy month.

Assalam-u-alaikum.

Iftar: August 26 and September 1

Salam everyone!
InshaAllah you are all having a wonderful and fulfilling Ramadan. And inshaAllah your iftars are just as fulfilling. Say, wouldn't it be awesome to
have a community-wide iftar? Well guess what? We are having just that these
coming days!
There will be an iftar in the basement of Rockefeller chapel (5850 South
Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, IL) on Thursday, August 26 (tomorrow!). Maghrib
will be at 7:34 so try to arrive a few minutes earlier.
That's not all folks, there will also be an intrfaith iftar at the Lutheran
School of Theology on Wednesday, September 1. RSVP to strumm@lstc.edu by
August 27. Click here (http://msa.uchicago.edu/uchicago_msa/Iftar_Poster.pdf) for more information about that.
There will be more iftars to come before the end of Ramadan inshaAllah so
be sure to check your email as well as our website.
Thats all for now folks. Take care of yourselves.
Ma Salam.

A message from our vice president about praying tarwih on campus

Assalamualaykum Wa RahmatAllah
If you are on campus and looking for a place to attend taraweeh tonight and for the rest of this blessed month:

Masjid Al-Fatir is not far from campus. It's at 47th street and Woodlawn Ave. SAFERIDE can take you there and back Here is the number for saferide (773)702-2022. You may want to call for a ride about a half an hour before salah.

Downtown Islamic Center is at 231 S. State Street. You can take bus #6 or #2 to the city and walk over to Jackson and State, it is across from the footlocker and the McDonalds in the heart of the city.

Isha is at 9:30 so anticipate taraweeh to be held around that time.

Enjoy and take advantage of this Ramadan.
WaAlaikum Assalam WaRahmatAllahi WaBarakatu

Minutes: June 2 2010

BBQ-
Thawing meat
Meeting at Stony at 1:30, Bring your stuff
If you can’t buy/bring your stuff by 12, Text Nadia or Call Khalid

Email Khalid your ideas for next year

Fastathon-
Fastathon in Autumn Quarter
$1600 funding for event, SGFC extra funding?
Friday October 22nd end of 4th week= day of Fastathon
Ida Noyes- find out how much and check availability (Moshfeq)
Speaker for Fastathon: Imam Zaid Shakir (Nadia contact), Suhaib Webb (Nadia), Yusuf Estes?
Talk to GCFD
Theme for fastathon?
Have 2 students speak at Fastathon (msa and non-msa)

Eid Dinner
Tariq Ramadan for Eid Dinner
Eid is November 16th or 17th Tuesday/Wednesday

Minutes: May 26 2010

Round Table Discussion
Stuart 102 at 8 pm
Dr. Walid Khayr
“Revelation as a Universal Phenomenon”
Discussion
Cedars or Backstory (Cedars, same as last time, except more meat less salad)
Same procedure as last week’s iftar
Rugs
Drinks, plates, napkins, cutlery, *serving spoons*
Be there by 7:50

Discussion with SSA
Stuart 104 at 9 pm
2 controversies
Nadia make brownies

Senior BBQ
Next Thursday at 3 pm
Meet up at Stony by 1:30pm with supplies, will start grilling at 2pm
Review responsibilities
Meat from Qaid

Gifts
Make list of seniors

Ideas for next year
Email as soon as possible
By next Wednesday (Maha’s movie screening + talk, Saalika’s literary event, etc.)
Bring Fastathon ideas by next week and present them
(We can discuss them after the meeting if this meeting is short)
Change Database Access –KHALID
Khalid e-mail concerning O-Aide status, find out how many people we can get
NADIA remember we have to be in the O-Book
Naureen put pics at the first MSA iftar. Other ideas (bball tourney, O-week movie night, etc.)

Minutes: May 16 2010

Iftar tomorrow
Stuart 102 at 8 pm
Pick up food, will be ready by 7-7:30 from Nile (ask one of drivers for help/car)
Transport drinks, plates, cutlery. Get them from Walgreens
SS and KK: rugs meet at bond chapel at 4pm
Stay for cleanup

Fajr at the Point on Friday
The Point at 4 am
Split up responsibilities, get things (from list)
Duties: Bagles+Cream cheese (faisal). 10 bananas+ apples (Hassan and Saad), 4 gallons of juice (Nadia), Muffins (Nadia), 4 dozen donuts (and coffee?) (Khalid), hot chocolate (Khalid), tea (Khalid), percolator (Faisal), knives/cups/plates (need more cups) (Moshfeq + Faisal), trash bags (Moshfeq + Faisal). KEEP RECIEPTS FOR REIMBURSMENT!!
Bring food stuffs to iftar tomorrow
Know how you will get there (Stony sleepover?)
Remind drivers tonight
Send e-mail tomorrow morning about fajr + iftar

Event next Thursday
Stuart 102 at 8 pm
Dr. Walid Khayr
Education and Islam
Discussion
Food? Cedars, Backstory?

Senior BBQ
Thursday at 3 pm at the point
List of responsibilities by next Wednesday
Get money asap SAAD
Grills (no Max, maybe Stony, I might get one soon)
Sumaiya get chips, 4 BIG bags

Website
Aisha

SSA
Saalika
Discussion about burka ban + cartoon drawings. In south lounge. Saalika send e-mail when time and date are confirmed.

Muslim O-Aides, talk to Jigna
Have ideas about next quarter/year e-mailed to Khalid two weeks from today, May 19th. (June 2nd)

Minutes: May 12 2010

Iftar

Thursday, May 20
Stuart 102 (book it)
8:00 PM
Pick up 3 prayer rugs from Bond Chapel (before 5 pm)
Khalid and Saad
Food (Nile?) (ask if zabiha)
Faisal (and Nadia)

Omer Mozaffar Qur’an class Saturdays 11am-1pm in conference room (send e-mail)

Fajr at the Point

Friday, May 21
4:00 AM –prayer starts 4:20
Contact drivers by tomorrow
Fida, Saqib, Ibrahim, MoKhan
Food (Einstein, DD, juice) Utensils (napkins, plates, cups)
Faisal (and Nadia) Perishable stuff get day before, otherwise get right before fajr salah (donuts, coffee)

Senior BBQ

Thursday, June 3
Time 3pm
Grills ask (Summaiya, anyone else)
Food (Devon) Muhammad Hossain (hot dogs, burgers) Enal’s mom’s burgers?
Utensils (plate, napkins, garbage bags, etc.)
Drinks, condiments
Gifts (seniors e-mail Khalid)
Add ideas online (Nadia set up google doc) + volunteer to get them

9th Week Event

Thursday, May 27
Stuart 102 or 104 (Rockefeller interfaith room? South lounge?)
8:00 PM
Snacks (samosas?)
Dr. Walid Khayr
Open discussion layout
Ideas for topic? - education in Islam, how and in what ways it can impact you. Saalika e-mail Khalid about the topic . Balancing your life, how to deal with the academic rigor of uchicago and religion

Minutes: May 5 2010

Send agenda/time schedule to be filled out by new shura for available meeting hours

Outline For This Quarter:
•Do something in two weeks (iftar on Thursday, May 20th of 8th week)
•Fajr at the point Friday of 8th week (find out where to get food from)
•Find people with cars to give rides to people who live far (for fajr)
•9th week event (service? Movie?NW mosque cleanup?)
•10th week, senior bbq Thursday of reading period (need grill)

Next Year:
•Start thinking ideas for next year (events/ fastathon/ speakers/ O-week etc.) and email.
•A joint Chicago MSA dinner event here beginning of fall quarter, think of a speaker!
•Try to get MSA O-Aides!