On November 14th at the Michigan League, the Islamic Society of AhlulBayt hosted Shaykh Mahdi Rastani for a mini-lecture on guidance that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) left for us to be utilized in our day-to-day lives, following a question and answer session that was opened to the audience.

Thanks to the cosponsorship from the Global Islamic Studies Center we were able to host a scholar in the Shia community to educate not only members within but also the greater university community. Shaykh Mahdi Rastani is an Islamic scholar that travels around the United States lecturing for many organizations after completing his time at the Islamic Seminary in Qom. He also is an instructor for the Mizan Institute and the resident alim for the City of Knowledge in Dallas, Texas.

The topic was prevalent among college students as it addresses the struggles and failures that can be overcome with patience to reach overall goals. He also touched upon how college can be isolating in the beginning as it is a whole new environment with gained independence. However, if you hold on to your beliefs and morals while preserving the rejection you might face, the community will find you. This was taken from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he was rejected by the Meccans and was forced to find another tribe to support him and his religion which was difficult as most asked him to compromise his beliefs. So he had to be patient and stand firm until eventually, people began to accept the religion of Islam. Even audience members that were not Muslim were able to relate to this message. The question and answer session allowed the audience to gain an understanding of Islam or the culture of Muslims from the standpoint of a scholar. This opened up an avenue for people to learn about the Shia point of view as it is overlooked because of its minority status within Islam and the university.

The event concluded with food and a social hour to create stronger bonds within the community. It also created a chance for us to reflect on and discuss the topics with our peers. Many of us also connected with the Shaykh one-on-one to ask even more questions. This event welcomed a larger crowd in which new people were introduced to these topics and the community.

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GISC is proud to cosponsor and fund events that promote the understanding of global Islamic culture and Muslim societies worldwide. Are you an undergraduate student group looking for funding for a similar event? Apply now: https://myumi.ch/RprGw