m u s l i m v o i c e s - The University of Texas at Austin

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We begin in the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
a word from the editor
ike all projects that take precious time and sweet labor, this magazine was indeed a journey. A year ago, at the
L close of the spring semester in 2005, a few individuals introduced the idea of creating a magazine for the Muslim
students at UT. The idea was great, the task daunting. But a mix of enthusiasm, passion and sheer dedication from
the Muslim students on campus allowed a budding idea to develop into the magazine you now hold in your hands.
Our shared experiences bind us together in ways that go beyond religion, culture, nationality, or creed; our voices
are gifts endowed to us at birth by Our Creator, without which the world would be a silent place; our perspectives
shed light into unexplored frontiers. This magazine provides a platform for those who share in the UT tradition—
students, faculty and alumni—to relate their experiences as Muslims living in the West and offer their perspectives
on contemporary issues in Islam. The Muslims on this campus are dynamic individuals with unique experiences and
diverse voices. Through Muslim Voices, you will witness their diverse experiences, unique voices, and varied perspectives.
Just as the making of this magazine has been a journey, the articles, poems, and artwork within will also allow you
to take a journey across time and space with the authors themselves, as you learn their stories, experience their
struggles, and gain insight into their perspectives.
a word of thanks...
… to God, the First and Foremost. With the Almighty’s help, all things are possible
… to the contributors, writers, and artists of this magazine. The magazine would be silent without your voices
… to the UT community for giving us another opportunity to share our experiences and inspirations, for being the
best in what you do, the most real in who you are, and for being National Champions, ‘05. Hook ‘em!!
… to our fellow organizations on campus for all their help
… to all those who supported us, had confidence in us, encouraged us, and prayed for us, especially our families who stood by
us in our frantic attempts to meet deadlines
… to those students in the FAC labs who tolerated the MV team’s constant whisperings while working on layouts
… to those who came out to the photo shoot
… to the Austin Muslim Community, a family that is always there to support us in our endeavors
… to everyone who had a part to play in the creation of the magazine
… to Hasnain Jiwani, Askari Hussain, Farhad Dokhani, Amir Shiva, and Zain Mithani - the superb Publishing & Advertising Team
… to Azhar Sheraze, Anadil Bham and the rest of the Layout-Design Team
… to Almas Ali, Mohamad Fakhreddine, and Aun Ali for their diligent copy editing
… to Hammad Rizvi and Zahra Yusufali for the amazing photography for this magazine
… and finally to everyone out there who has been looking forward to this magazine...your enthusiasm pushed us forward. We
hope you enjoy it :).
Cover Main photo by Askari Hussain. Featured in photo: Kamran Mamdani. Collage of photos:
courtesy of Muslim students at UT. Row 1: (from left) Nahaleh Pourali & Aiman Janmohamed; Mohamed
Sheikh; Fifth Degree Burn & Imam Bashir. Row 2: Ali Syed; Zainab Abbas & Sarah Siddiqui; Huda Abdul-
Razzak; Ayesha Yoosufani; Turab Syed. Row 3: Jamal Mohamed, Kamran Mamdani, Turab Syed, Farhad
Dokhani, Mohamed Yusufali, Nader Islam, Hasnain Jiwani, & Azhar Sheraze; Ishan Chakrabarti, Naser
Ashour, Melissa Malmgren; Hammad Rizvi; Hamza Deyaf; Annia Raja.
With Peace,
Aiman Janmohamed
Editor-in-Chief
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this magazine are of their corresponding authors and artists and not necessarily of the Muslim Voices Team or the Society for Islamic
Awareness. This is not an official publication of the University of Texas at Austin and does not represent the views of the University or its officers.