Assalámu `alaykum,

Islamic Circles Presents:

INSPIRING THE ISOCs (University Islamic Societies)

Date: Wednesday 28th September 2005
Time: 3pm - 5pm
Venue: Room B36, Basement, Birkbeck College, Malet Street,
Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HX

The universities will be restarting shortly and this year, more
so than previous years, the focus will be very much on Muslim
students. Let's be honest, the quality of events organised by
ISOCs (Islamic Societies) is often appalling; they're cliquey,
corny, uninspiring and boring. Causes include poor management
and planning, lots of double standards, and of course, preaching
to the converted. Instead of inspiring the Muslim students and
serving as a welcome source of information for non-Muslims,
ISOCs have become bastions of ghetto mentality, dirty politics,
lack of creativity, and manhaj-based turf wars. With so many
Muslim students from all over the globe, are cheap birianies
or tuna sandwiches the most exquisite cuisines that the ISOC
can come up with?!

To make matters worse, ISOC members are often the worst performing
students because they are so "busy" organising activities whilst
happily justfying plagiarism with cheeky remarks such as "Ya ahki,
you should help your fellow Muslims". Yeah right! One should pause
for a moment and contemplate on how and why graduate members of
other student societies, such as the Jewish Society or the Chinese
Society, get the best positions later on in life? And no, it aint
due to some conspiracy. They actually work damn hard for it.

Are you fed up with boring events run by the autocratic styled
committee of your ISOC? Are you a "non practising" brother or
sister who feels unwelcome and judged by so-called practising
ISOC members? Are you new to Islam but finding that the ISOC
is pulling you towards a particular group or party agenda?

As an ISOC committee member, how can you attract those Muslim
students who continue to live a double life and simply avoid
ISOCs or anything to do with Islam? What about the jahil brother
messing around with his non-Muslim partner or the sister going
out with her boyfriend and enjoying her new found "freedom" at
university? Do you need suitable topics and speakers for your
events? Why isn't there a central database of speakers? How can
you reach out to non-Muslims in a creative and non-preaching
style? How can you make alliances and networks with people who
might be helpful in the future? Basically, how can Muslim
students contribute positively to the betterment of society and
serve as examples for the many university students who will go
on to become future professionals, policy makers and leaders?

If you are really sincere about da'wah at university then
come and find out how you can be part of that change.

For more information please contact:
Tel: 07092 032 136 / 07092 032 763
E-mail: info@islamiccircles.org

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Wassalaam 'alaikum wa rahmatullaah.

Admin - Islamic Circles

- Islamic Circles is a community-based initiative that has been running at
the Froud Centre since January 2001. We hold Islamic lectures and Arabic
classes on a weekly basis, and also organise with a wide range of regular
events and activities, including short courses, seminars, workshops on
issues relevant to the Muslim community, social gatherings like Eid parties,
matrimonial services and events and much more.