Los Angeles: University Opens New Muslim Prayer Space
On January 31, students gathered at Stylus Hall to witness the unveiling of an installation by renowned Muslim artist Aadil Abedi, marking the launch of the renovated facility within the USC Religious Center, USC Annenberg Media reported on Monday.
The event, organized by the Muslim Student Association (MSA), celebrated the newly upgraded space. Among the speakers were Abedi and USC’s Dean of Religious Life, Varun Soni. A prayer recitation by a Sheikh was also part of the ceremony.
Talha Rafique, a senior studying quantitative biology and the president of MSA, stated that the organization aimed to revitalize Muslim cultural presence on campus through the renovation, providing a welcoming environment for Muslim students.
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“Not only are we getting two paintings today that are custom-made by a very well-renowned artist, but we’ve also renovated the rooms entirely,” Rafique said. “We went from expanding from one room to now two physical rooms on campus. What it means to the community is a growing, fostering community that expanded from 30 people from when I started to about 250 members.”
During the event, Soni emphasized that the space would serve as a place for meaningful discussions alongside artistic expression.
“Art is the ultimate creative expression of what it means to be human, and religion is a language for thinking about what it means to be human,” Soni said. “So for us to come together on this last day of a difficult month—to celebrate art, to celebrate what it means to be human, is especially powerful and moving.”
Abedi also spoke about his dedication to producing art that reflects Muslim values and traditions.
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“As an artist, as a visual storyteller, I feel it’s become my responsibility over the last few years to showcase the beauty of our script in a very unconventional way—just the fun side of our faith and spirituality as Muslims,” Abedi said. “The work you’ll see here is a very abstract, deconstructed version of my interpretation of the Arabic script.”
The new prayer space is open to all students, regardless of religious affiliation, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Source: Agencies
