Cranfield University: On keeping the faith

When I told my mother that I would continue my study in the UK, instead of being happy, she worried very much. Even though I have left my home town since more than twelve years ago, that fact did not make her understand my choice to study abroad easily. One of the reason because the UK is much too far that she could imagine.

However, the biggest concern of her is about preserving my faith as a Muslim. She understood that I would go to a country where Muslim is minority. She started thinking how I could perform prayers (salat) rightly. How could I manage to eat halaal foods, and so on, and so forth. Before leaving for the UK, she called me almost every night, asking my preparation and also keep reminding me to keep my faith as the challenge abroad might be far too different to what I faced in Indonesia. I tried to ease her anxiety, saying what she needed to do is praying for my safety, including safety in my faith.

As I arrived at Cranfield University, I learned that Cranfield University is quite open with religious issues. The canteens provide information about the contain of the meals they sell, especially related to allergic and/or halaal food. People can ask anything that make them doubt about foods. Also In the campus there is a chapel to pray for Christians, as well as a mosque for Muslims. Yes, a mosque!

Front view (Source: Private)

The mosque, it is not just an ordinary mosque as I realize that it can be categorized as masjid jami'. Masjid jami' is a terminology describing a mosque that holds compulsory five-time prayers including special prayer on Friday (salat jum'at). Masjid jami' also means there is a main imam who leads the prayers. Therefore, we can found five times a day, from dawn to evening, students and staffs gather to perform prayers.

Another reason that support my statement that it is not an ordinary mosque because it is registered as campus' property with a special aim, to accommodate Islamic activities of Muslim students and staffs at Cranfield University. It is not just a small (abandoned) room in the corner as I have imagined may happen at other institutions. The mosque is also quite spacious with two prayer rooms, one for males and one for females. I guess, those two rooms may fit up to a hundred people. Not only prayer rooms, the mosque is also also furnished with a library (which sometime is used as the extension of male prayer room), toilets for males and females, and several stuff like microwave, plates and glasses, etc.

Waiting for prayer time (Source: Private)

Books collection in the mosque's library (Source: Private)

In any rate, I am lucky to study at Cranfield University including matters related to my faith. Regarding the conveniences to show my Muslim identity, to perform prayers regularly and rightly, Cranfield University gives a range of discretion. It is just remarkable how the university develop a culture of embracing the differences and pay a respect to each other. I guess Cranfield University maybe is the only university in the Muslim minority countries that provides a property specifically intended for the purpose of Muslim's worship. In the campus map, everybody can easily distinguish where the location of the mosque is.

Talking about location of the mosque, it is very strategic. It is closed to buildings where the classes are held. It is also near to the canteen, student association, library, and IT building. The only difficulties may be related to prayer schedule that varies from time to time. But, it is the challenge for a four-season country like in the UK.

A lecturer giving sermon [khutba] for salat jum'at (Source: Private)

Another good thing of the existence of the mosque is I have a chance to know Muslims from other countries. Mostly they are from Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. However I also have met other Muslim from Morocco, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Turkey, Malaysia, Tibet, even from the UK and Italy. To see how different we are but share the same faith is just amazing. It is a beautiful feeling to see smiles from others we consider as brothers and sisters although we have different skin colours, different languages and different ways to express ourselves. And this feeling brings me to remember the words of Allah:

يٰٓأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ  إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللّٰـهِ أَتْقَٮٰكُمْ ۚ  إِنَّ اللّٰـهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

(الحجرات:١٣)

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. (Al-Hujurat: 13)

Note:
Al-Quran transliteration by Sahih International from http://quran.com/49/13 (accessed: 7 January 2014)