For the Muslim students who live in the International House, it is a safe, happy place where you don't have to explain your existence or your faith to anyone. The International House on the campus of the Diyanet Center in Lanham, Maryland is a 3500 sq ft Ottoman-style residential house for female college students. It is located in one of the villas on the newly built campus of the Turkish American Community Center. The nine young women of different races and ethnicities share rooms for $500 a month including utilities.
With 24-hour guards and a private security system, Dr Sharif Salim, the Community Outreach Director is the coordinator of the residence. The Muslim Link had a chance to sit with some of the residents and discuss student life, anti-Muslim bigotry, and sisterhood.
Aziza is doing her Master's in Business. She is a former Al-Huda School student who's working on an art exhibition. She's also the author of work books for children sold on Amazon and has authored an Arabic handwriting workbook and workbooks on prayer.
Nineteen-year-old Areeba is from Ellicott City and is studying pre-med at the University of Maryland. She likes living in the house because she wanted to have a college experience of living with people her age. The women have set up a carpooling system for those who don't have a car. They have a house captain who helps sort problems and acts as a go-between for the group.
Living together in a 7-bedroom, 6 bathroom immaculate villa, with two state of the art kitchens beats living in a dormitory any day. “At first it felt like a sleepover, and you never have to leave, but the novelty has worn off,” says Semiat. She was born in Nigeria and grew up in Baltimore in the Islamic Society of Baltimore community. She is studying economics at UMD.
Living on campus is very different from this experience. “On my floor [in the dormitory] there were guys; the building was co-ed,” says Layla*. “With a non-Muslim roommate you never knew what you were going to walk into,” she adds. The women don’t have to deal with people bringing guys over into the house as there are strict rules about visitors. “It seems a lot safer especially with the [security] patrol,” says Azizah.
Living in the dorms is difficult especially to use the shower when you are in hijab or dress modestly, just walking across the hall is an inconvenience, shared Areeba.The benefit of living with Muslims is you don't have to explain things like that you can't cook pork or that you wake up for fajr, says Azizah.
“If we have had a tough day, it is easy to share that with our housemates,” says Areeba. “We have really deep conversations about Islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia without having to explain the basic tenets to someone,” adds Shuida.
Some of the girls felt that the atmosphere on their university campus was Islamophobic and others felt that it was relatively friendly because of the number of Muslims at UMD and the prominence of the Muslim Students Association. These observations differed from major to major. Those in the business school felt the anti-Muslim bigotry in higher instances as they often found themselves the only Muslims in the class.
Shuida is from Belgium. She's is ethnically Turkish and is studying Islamic Studies with a focus on Islamophobia at George Washington University. “I found an immediate community. I'm so far away from home and this is a place where I felt [community],” added Shuida.
“I have never lived so close to a masjid, [so having] that is so inspiring,” others chime in.
Commuting was a concern for families whose daughters chose to reside at the international House. So far the students have managed to coordinate among themselves and carpool to the UMD campus which is 15 minutes away.
Most of the women cook their own food in the two kitchens that are in this beautiful home. The fact that the masjid is a minute away and they can hear the adhan in their rooms is a joy. To add to the experience residents also get a free DCActive membership which gives them access to the gym and the swimming pool.
The students are able to pray in congregation at the masjid. They message the house groupchat when one of them is walking over for Fajr and others join in— one of the many perks of living on the DCA campus. “We can take advantage of all the events that take place here,” says Shuida.
Yara says when she first came from Jordan, she shopped around but it just didn't feel like home. “Peace of mind and being able connect spiritually … [I need that] to feel at home and to be able to focus, center myself and impress my instructors,” she explained.
The women don’t feel like they are isolating themselves in a Muslim bubble. “I don't feel like I'm isolating myself. This is my home,”stresses Areeba. “Ninety-nine percent of the time we're around non-Muslims because we're in school or in the cafeteria but this is home,”says Shuida. “People should be free to feel safe when they come home into their private space,” she adds.
“Living with other Muslims makes me less homesick,” says Yara.
This a great option for Muslim families in the region who are looking for housing for their college bound daughters. For more information, visit https://diyanetamerica.org/rentals/residential-houses/rooms/ .
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