In most ways, Esther Shahin, a 23-year-old junior from Charlotte, is a typical college student.
However, in one important way she stands out from her peers on campus. Shahin is Muslim, and although there are no statistics on how many students at Winston-Salem State University are followers of the Muslim faith, they are in the minority both on campus and in the city.
Despite their relatively small number locally, a spotlight continues to shine on the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims because of the Iraq war and the ongoing furor in Europe over newspaper cartoons that portray the prophet Muhammad as a terrorist, including one that depicts him wearing a turban shaped as a bomb. Fellow student and Muslim Charles Hinton said he is against the war in Iraq, stating that this country has no business there, and he added that he is appalled at the cartoons that make fun of Muhammad. “I think that it is immature,” Hinton said.
The senior added that he would like to see a Muslim Students’ Association (MSU) established on the WSSU’s campus. The MSU began in 1963 with 75 students on 10 U.S. campuses and has branched out to tens of thousands of students in more than 150 college chapters. It is based in Northern Virginia, and generally, the association works for the betterment of the Muslim and non-Muslim community on campuses through community service, education and social activities.
Hinton said that there are no places for Muslims to worship on WSSU’s campus, and so he worships at The Community Mosque on Waughtown Street, typically from 1 to 2 p.m.
Although Hinton said he has on occasion felt uneasy on campus, he said he hasn’t experienced any incidents of hostile treatment or harassment. “At times I do (feel uncomfortable), but I’m not ashamed of being a Muslim”.
Shahin, on the other hand, said she believes she has been targeted because of her religious beliefs. She said she follows the Muslim code of dress for women, which makes her more easily recognized as a follower of the faith.
As a result, Shahin said she has been sworn at and cursed, and she believes that the driver of a car that nearly hit her one day intentionally targeted her because she is Muslim. She added that she was most shocked when a faculty member asked her if it was hard for her to get the clothes that she wears.
Shahin said she coverted from Christianity more than two years ago after the death of someone close to her. The death led to her questioning her beliefs. “I started comparing Christianity and Islam, and Islam was stronger and answered more questions,” she said.
Like Hinton, she said she opposes the war in Iraq. “It’s wrong, what he (President Bush) did,” Shahin said.
As for Hinton, he said he has been an active adherent of the faith for 10 years. “I decided to change my life and follow a new way of life,” he said.