How Becoming a Student at U of I Changes Muslim Faith

This research explores changes in faith or new understandings of religious tradition in Muslims who are students at U of I. U of I is certainly a religiously diverse campus, but there’s a higher presence of Christian and Jewish services and support functions here than there are Muslim ones, which may contribute to a feeling of isolation among Muslim students. In addition, the university is known for its strong party scene, whose social events conflict with traditional Muslim values. I explore if these factors, combined with islamophobia on campus, can contribute to a loss of faith or an abandonment of more traditional religious values/practices in Muslim students at UIUC, or if it leads them to band together in solidarity. To answer these questions, I interview members of the MSA to see outsiders’ views on those they’ve known who have suffered personal losses of faith, or any minor losses of faith they’ve experienced themselves, to find out if the non-religious atmosphere at UIUC has played a part in this. I also interviewed students from pointedly non-religious groups on campus, such as the Illini Secular Student Alliance, to see whether or not being on campus contributed to them leaving the faith. My goal is to reach a perspective on what, if anything at U of I prompts a Muslim student to reevaluate their belief in God, whether the change is negative or positive, and if it is negative, how it can be prevented.Ope