World Religions in Greater Boston: Home

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Throughout the years, the Islamic Society has hosted a number of prominent speakers in its effort to spread knowledge and awareness of Islam. Syed Hossein Nasr, Ingrid Mattson, Cat Stevens, and Hamza Yusuf are only a few of the prominent Muslim leaders that HIS has brought to Harvard to engage with students and faculty. In a reflective exercise conducted last year, members of the Harvard Islamic Society described it as “a home away from home” and “a community to always trust and confide in.” Offering activities such as weekly dinner tables with hot halal meals, hiking trips and group ice-skating expeditions, the Society fosters an environment where members see themselves not as part of a student organization, but as part of a family. There are nightly iftars during the month of Ramadan where the community comes together to break their fasts, as well as congregational prayers held every Friday in Lowell Lecture Hall. Study circles and other classes on Islamic topics contribute to the spiritual growth of members, while events such as Islam 101 and Islam Awareness Week allow the wider Harvard community to gain a better grasp of what the religion is. One of the earliest Muslim student groups to form in the United States, the Islamic Society today continues in its mission of strengthening bonds between Muslims, and engaging the broader community at Harvard and beyond. As a Harvard student organization with open membership, HIS does not adopt official points of doctrine. HIS is home to Muslims and non-Muslims who hold various religious beliefs but who are united by their experiences of Islam.