Society for Islamic Awareness

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Regular Activities

Welcome to the SIA Community!

A 'society' is more than a one-time social event. It is the name of sustained interactions and relations. At SIA, we seek to build this society through a variety of activities. These activities provide a connecting point where individuals meet each other, they learn and share, participate in various activities, and grow together over the period of their stay at the university. Their growth in these purposive activities in turn becomes the growth of the Islamic awareness movement of SIA.

Below, you will find information about our regular activities like chai-chats, supplication evenings, movie events, and social get-togethers. Subscribe to SIA's listserv to get our weekly email announcements about the latest activities.

Chai Chats
Ever wondered about questions like 'why is there so much suffering in the world,' 'what is the meaning of life,' 'what happens after we die,' and 'why care at all'? Ever wondered about issues like woman's status and rights in Islam, tolerance and terrorism, hunger and poverty, politics and activism? SIA chai chat discussions invite people to understand Islam with a rational approach and how it connects to the realities of our everyday lives. If you have questions in mind, would like to share your views, engage in constructive discussions, this is the place for you! Chai-chat discussions are usually held every week. They encourage student-to-student dialogue on a variety of issues. See our email announcement for this week's topic!

For past topics and discussion outlines, see here

Supplication Evening
Dua or supplicating to the Lord is in itself a spiritual experience where one's soul is most intimately linked to the Ultimate Reality. We invite all to share this experience with the recitation of various duas. The dua gathering is usually held on Thursdays in the evening.

Click here to find out more about the concept of Dua and read some of the beautiful duas from the rich Islamic heritage.

Below, see a couple of excerpts from the well-known supplication by Imam Ali, Dua Kumayl, which we usually read in our Thursday gatherings.

Excerpt from Dua Kumayl:

"O Lord! I approach You by Your remembrance,
seek Your intercession through Yourself,
and ask You by Your generosity,
to bring me closer to You,
to bestow upon me (the ability to) thank you,
to treat me kindly,
to have mercy on me,
and to make me satisfied, content, and humble in all circumstances."

"I come to You, My God, after my shortcoming,
and my immoderation against myself,
proffering my excuse,
regretful, broken,
apologizing, asking forgiveness, repenting,
acknowledging, submissive, confessing.
I do not find any way out from what I have done,
nor any place of refuge to turn to about my affairs,
other than Your acceptance of my apology,
have mercy upon the severity of my affliction,
and free me from the tightness of my chains."

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