FRESHERSHANDBOOK

Y O U R J O U R N E Y S T A R T S T O D A Y

A N I N T R O D U C T I O N T O L I F E A TU C L ' S I S L A M I C S O C I E T Y

20 /21

@uclislamicsociety @uclislamicsociety @uclisoc

U C L I S L A M I C S O C I E T Y

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Introduction

Welcome

Top things about ISoc

Living in London

Halal Food

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Departments

How to study virtually

Freshers Experiences

Prayer Rooms

Dua Page

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INTRODUCTION

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah.

 

Welcome to UCL and its Islamic Society! Along with joining one of the best universities in

the world, you’ve found yourself in one of the most exciting ISOCs in the country.Our

events schedule brims with all sorts of charity events, public talks and socials for you to get

involved in. And we hope you’ll jump right in!

 

As one of the largest societies on campus, the diversity of our students who come

into UCL every morning is marked in both their culture and aspirations. It’s the gentle

unpicking of those worldly hopes, however, to uncover a deeper purpose, that really binds

us together as a community. And so, while some of us may spend our days by puzzling over

the contradictions of Quantum mechanics and, others are left perturbed over the

ruthlessness of Machiavelli, we all at some point in the day – whether in a spontaneous

gathering after Dhuhr, a Tarbiyah session at 7 or happy hour after Jumu’ah – come

together in a spirit not entirely dissimilar to the one harboured by three million of our

brothers and sisters who converge on Makkah every year, chanting in unison, “Labayk

Allahumma Labayk”.

 

Whilst the ISoc is fertile ground for your own development, we are, first and foremost, here

to support you. We understand that the step from sixth form to university is considerable.

And so, whether you need academic support, guidance in matters of faith, or simply a

friend to confide in, you’ll find it all in our community.

 

In this booklet, you’ll find lots of information, all designed to kick-start your university-life

smoothly. So, take five minutes before a lecture to flick through and find out what we get

up to as a society.

 

We’re sure you’ll have a great time. Just remember that the decisions you make this week-

in both the social and academic sphere- could well determine the rest of your time at

UCL. And so, we suggest you remind yourself constantly of your primary purpose-

to serve. Before taking a jump of any sort, tell the voice inside you to say,

“Here I am, O my Lord, here I am”.

 

Good luck with your first week. 

HAMZAH KHAN

MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENTAssalamu'Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

I'm Hamzah and I will be the Islamic Society president

this year.

Congratulations on getting into UCL during these tough

times and may Allah reward you for your hard work!

Now that you have started your university journey, be

ready for your life to change. Your university

experience will lead to you learning so much about

yourself and about life in general. And the friends you

meet at university will be your friends for life. So make

sure to fully immerse yourself into university life, speak

to many people, make the most of the opportunities

that come your way and really strive to become a

better person.

University life is so much different to everything else you

will experience because there is so much opportunity to

learn and and widen your perspective on things. This,

paired with the large amounts of free time you will have

makes university the best place to become a better

version of yourself - if you make the most of them.

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So my main pieces of advice would be to keep an open

mind and to go out of your way to learn about everything

and anything. Really try to engage with the ISoc because

it is a society which is different to the rest and get close to

the brothers and sisters in the community. And most of all,

always remember Allah and thank Him for this amazing

opportunity He has given you, which is honestly unlike

anything else you will experience.

May Allah allow you to prosper and please Him during your

UCL journey and I look forward to meeting you all soon!.

Wasalaam,

Hamzah PR

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SARA MOUFEED

MESSAGE FROM YOUR HEADSISTERAssalamualaikum,

On behalf of everyone here at the ISoc I’d like to

extend the warmest welcome to all of

you! Congratulations on getting into UCL and I hope

the last few months have been kind to you and your

families- well done for getting through these difficult

times to make it here!

These next few months are set to be

uncertain as things change constantly. While it may

feel like you’re missing out from the

full uni experience due to the current circumstances,

just know that everything is by the decree of Allah

and He truly knows best. There’ll still

be many opportunities to get involved and meet other

like-minded people virtually insha’Allah!

As a fresher I intended to go to my lectures and make

a few friends- then go home as soon as possible. I

didn’t think getting involved and being ‘busy’ was for

me. But I realised, as you’ll constantly be reminded

over these next few months, your experience at uni is

much more than just your degree. Who you become

over the next few however many years will be

determined by how you spend your time, and who

with. Growing up in today’s world I think it’s easy to

forget just how amazing it is to not have to defend

your faith constantly, but instead be surrounded by

those that enrich it. I’ve been inspired by so many

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people I’ve met from various different backgrounds

through the ISoc. So, have an open heart and mind to your

fellow brother/sister. Get involved and make the most of

the opportunities that come your way. The community you

get to be part of at UCL is one of the greatest blessings,

so make sure you embrace it! When we say ask us any

questions you may have, we really mean it!

It’s very easy to let the next few years to just fly by. But

this the greatest chance for you to grow before you’re let

out into the big wide world! Set attainable goals, build

habits, make lifelong friends, purify your intentions

constantly, so that when you do have to face the

trials of adult working life you’ll always be anchored

by this beautiful Deen that we share.

I hope I’ll get the chance to see you all soon and I pray you

enjoy your time here and that it only brings you closer to

Allah! May Allah fill the coming years with abundant

blessings for each and every one of you.

Sara

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SALMAN RASHID & MARYAM HASSAN

TOP TEN THINGS ABOUT ISOC

1) Happy hour

Join us after Jummu’ah every week to unwind, catch up and indulge in a confusing diet of crisps and grapes with fellow

Muslims on campus. With over three hundred of us- all from a wide-range of backgrounds and cultures – coming together at

Bloomsbury, we’re sure it’s here you’ll encounter those “interesting conversations” you were told to expect at university.

2) Quran-buddy scheme

Pick a time with your Quran-buddy and sit down to improve your recitation, tajweed and memorisation. Whether you’d like to

be a mentor or a mentee, an opportunity to improve your relationship the book of Allah ensures you’ll leave university with

something of unparalleled value.

 

3) Foundations Programme

Take a break from your degree-related endeavours for an evening and turn the focus to your own faith. With a course

specifically designed to sculpt a finer imaan by bringing you closer to Allah, we don’t think you could find a better note to

end your day on.

4) Charity Week

With auction events, food stalls, sponsored-hikes raising well over £70,000, charity week sums up the spirit of our Muslim

community on campus. And yet, is so much more than that; it’s with charity week that you realise we’re only a small part of a

much greater movement; Muslim students from all around the country and the world work together to raise more than 1

million pounds for the needy around the world.

5) Faith-Inspired Activism

“On your horse by day and on your knees by night” is an approach we adopt when it comes to formulating an agenda which

we think would

benefit the Muslim community. We like to think that a Muslim’s first responsibility is to be a force for good in society. That’s

why, through holding various talks and events on issues ranging from depression to racism, we seek to bring Muslims closer

to Allah by adopting a more active role in addressing important social and political issues of the day.

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 6) Opportunity to learn

You do NOT have to be the most knowledgeable person to join and be a part of the ISoc. However, if you’re willing to put in

the effort, the opportunities to learn more about your faith are vast. From programmes such as Foundations and weekly

Qur’an classes, to one-off events like Islamic History Week, joining the ISoc we  hope it will help you to draw closer to Allah

SWT. Spiritual and personal development are foundational parts of the Islamic Societies' ethos – and if you come in with the

right mindset, you can insha'Allah leave uni a more holistic person than you were at the start.

7) Good companionship

Whether you’re coming to UCL as a postgraduate, or starting uni for the first time, joining the ISoc is a chance for you to

widen your network and form lifelong friendships. By coming to our events, joining the committee and even hanging around

after Jummu'ah or in the prayer room – you’ll not only make friends that are fun to be around, but people that will push you

every day to become the best version of yourself.

8) Opportunity to give back

Charity and outreach are huge parts of the ISoc’s actions throughout the year. Every year during Charity Week, UCL students

pretty much take over campus selling as much as they can to raise money for vulnerable communities across the world. Our

outreach activities don’t just end at Charity Week. With the ISoc you can find ways to give back throughout the year; whether

that's by coming along to Project Elevate’s homeless food drives, or by teaching others about Islam during Discover Islam

Week. The opportunities to gain reward are endless!

9) Banter/Fun!

No one comes to university just to study – and what better way to kick back and relax than with a group of people on the

same wavelength as you? From games nights to paintballing, escape rooms and Sisters Soiree – ISoc socials have something

for everyone. (P.S. We always have free food!)

10) Reminder of our purpose

Allah SWT asks us –“So where are you going?” (81:26). As Muslims, we have one single purpose in life and that is to worship

Allah SWT. There will be many things at university that will distract you from that path, whether they are explicitly forbidden or

not. And this, in my opinion, summarises the best thing about the ISoc. It is a constant reminder of our purpose, and a gentle

nudge towards the path that will lead us to success, both in this life and the next. So there you have it – come along to our

incoming events, and find out what there is to love about the ISoc for yourself!

ZAINAB ADELOPO & IFRAH FAROOQ

LIVING IN LONDON

Moving away from home for university is a tough yet valuable experience. With the nerves

and excitement of starting higher education, adjusting to a new city and living environment

without the support of your family can make things twice as nerve-wracking. Nevertheless,

living away from home will teach you a lot about yourself, and kick-start an exciting journey

with a lot of fun, exploration and lessons to be learnt along the way. Everyone's experience

is unique, but here are a couple of our top tips for life away from home:

1) Find other people that live out. Being in London, you might find that there are tons of

people who are commuting from home, and just can’t relate! It’s your fellow non-Londoners

who will understand the struggle of eating air for dinner, or living off cereal bars. Be around

them so you can support each other and so you don’t feel like you’re going at it alone. When

it comes to Ramadan, it’s these people that’ll be your rock.

2) Family: As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder! You might find yourself

missing the sound of your little brother screaming around the house or your mum telling you

to come and do the dishes. So make sure you speak to your family regularly, or visit them

when it’s convenient. For freshers’ fortnight in particular, we would recommend staying in

London. Though it might be hard at first, sticking it out for those first two weeks is really

important for settling in and getting to know everyone, otherwise you’ll find yourself not

wanting to come back!

3) Food: Whether you’re a wannabe Gordon Ramsey, or you hardly know how to make an

omelette, eating healthy can be a big challenge when you’re the one cooking. Try not to fall

into the trap of eating out 7 days a week - it will eat into your bank account! Meal prep is

your best friend. Instead of trying to cook everyday, take one or two days in the week to

prep the basics for all your meals that week (e.g. sandwich fillings or making pasta or a big

curry). Grocery shopping takes up a big part of your budget - find your local Asda/Lidl to

save money and don’t worry about searching for halal meat, there are plenty of halal

butchers in and around the Bloomsbury/Camden areas!

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4) Freshers’ fortnight: These first two weeks can be the most enjoyable and busy time of

the year, as well as being a time when you’re trying to settle in and meet some friends. Our

top tip for this time would be to spend as much time at uni as possible! There will be events

happening every day, this is the prime time to meet and network with your coursemates,

flatmates and fellow Muslims. If you’re living in halls, your flatmates may be taking part in

activities which might make you feel like the odd one out. So to avoid that, we’d love to see

you at lots of ISoc events over the next two weeks!

5) Self-development: At times, living out might feel a little isolating and it is in these times

we have a chance to remember that there is no greater connection than the one we have

with Allah. While we do need friends and flatmates to keep us company, be reminded that

Allah is the one you can wholly rely on to guide you through difficult times. Keep up with your

daily prayers and try your best to read some Qur’an regularly - factor this into your routine,

whether it be on your way to uni in the morning or before you go to sleep. Strengthen your

bond with your creator and you will find that this is truly what keeps you grounded. Don’t

forget to make use of our great prayer spaces around campus; B2 in the Student Centre,

the old Quiet Contemplation Room, the prayer rooms in the School of Pharmacy. There’s

always somewhere to pray on campus!

Living out will teach you a lot of valuable life lessons. It will provide you with opportunities to

develop yourself as a person, explore a new place and gain some vital skills. Remember that

your brothers and sisters in the ISoc are here for you when the going gets tough. Throughout

freshers’ fortnight, charity week and beyond, use our events to meet some great people both

in your cohort and older who can answer any questions you might have and offer some

great company inshaAllah.

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Halal Food near campusRoti King40 Doric Way, NW1 1LH

11 mins

Iccos46 Goodge St, W1T 4LU

11 mins

Hiba10 Tottenham St, W1T 4RD

8 mins

Simplys129 Drummond St, NW1 2HL

8 mins

79A Tottenham Ct. Rd, W1T 4TBKorean Chicken Stall

7 mins

Wrap it up19 Goodge St, W1T 2PH

9 mins

Nandos113 Baker St, W1U 6RS

5 mins

Stone Willy's25 Gordon Square, WC1H 0AY

3 mins

Raavi Kebab125 Drummond St, NW1 2HL

8 mins

The king of Malaysian restuarants. A small family restaurant, located

off the back of Euston with filling food for not so heavy prices. 

Simple, no fuss halal pizza's that are handmade. Download the app

for half price off your first one

The nation’s favourite cheeky grilled chicken with great seating for

those group seshes

Relaxed Lebanese kebabs and wraps. Make sure to take advantage of the

wrap lunch deal and grab a few of the chilli sauces to add a bit of kick to

your lunch

A UCL icon. Crisp fried chicken for low prices. You'll regularly find

packs of brothers crowded around here post- jummu'ah.

Street food done right. Bringing the flavours of South East Asia to

london. Come here for some boujee glazed wings.

Wraps that pay homage to a variety of cuisines, from Indian and

Turkish to American and Jamaican.

Located in UCL's very own SU building. A relative newcomer serving

up pizzas, wraps and melts.

Pakistani cuisine serving up a taste of home. Traditional, quality dishes

although the decor is perhaps a bit dated.

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Wing Wing30 Woburn Pl, WC1H 0JR

9 mins

Hankies Cafe67 Shaftesbury Ave,W1D 6EX

14 mins

King of Falafel17 Hunter St,WC1N 1BN

12 mins

Shake Shack80 New Oxford St,WC1A 1HB

14 mins

Sirgiista Bros195 Baker St,NW1 6UY

5 mins

Band of Burgers23 Camden High St,NW1 7JE

11 mins

10 Jamestown Rd, NW1 7BYFatburger

14 mins

Subway13 Goodge St, W1T 2PD

9 mins

Trendy Korean soul food. An assortment of glazes that add bursting

flavour to chicken wings.

A delightful little café that focuses on street food from the

subcontinent, with a modern twist.

Easy going middle eastern eatery serving gyros and the like. As the

name may suggest, the falafels are killer

The American joint that you may have had on your travels in Dubai, has

crossed the Pond to England. Only the Chicken is halal but it's all good when

you can use UNiDays to get 2for1.

Hand formed gourmet grilled patties. Solid burger option, oozing with juices.

Solid, thick milkshakes to boot as well.

Rustic burger joint that's become a firm favourite amongst members of the

ISoc. Themed after rock and roll, you could argue that for many people BoB

hits all the right notes. Do take advantage of their lunch deal.

Fast food Californian burgers, for those looking for their fix of huuuuge

burgers. 

The joint that we've all become so accustomed to, producing 6 or 12 inch

bundles of joy.

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Tarbiyah

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Jumu'ah

The Tarbiyah department exists to cater

to the spiritual needs of the Muslims on

campus.

Our core aim is to bring Muslims, no

matter their level of spirituality, closer to

Allah SWT and His message, through

flagship programs such as ‘Foundations'

where last year we covered the seerah.

Watch out for the module announcement

of this years course and our brand new

programmes - "Basics" and "Perfect your

worship". We intend for these simply to

point people in the right direction, with

the tools necessary to follow its path; and

with Allah’s guidance, to nurture a deeper

and more meaningful connection with

Him.

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One of the events we held last year

Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran:

“O you who believe! When the call for Jumu’ah salaah is made, hasten towards

the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala and leave all transactions. This is best for you if

only you know,”

The Jumu'ah team of the ISoc facilitates this for hundreds of people every week.

Following Jumu'ah everyweek is the ISoc's take on Happy hour - free snacks and

drinks are provided - whilst you can chat and unwind at the end of a long week

at uni.

And they give food in spite of love for it to the

needy, the orphan, and the captive, [Saying], “We

feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We

wish not from you reward or gratitude.” 

Charity Week is a global project where Muslims

from around the world come together for a

common cause: to raise money for millions of

orphans and the needy. 

At UCL the ultimate vision behind Charity Week is

to inspire Muslims on campus to unite upon our

shared Islamic values, in order to serve our

Ummah and please the most merciful, Allah SWT.

We aim to build an environment that is inclusive

for freshers so they can get to know their fellow

Muslim students and build friendships that will

enhance their uni life in a way that is pleasing to

Allah SWT.

Charity Week

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Media & PublicityThe ISoc’s media and publicity teams are responsible for creating

and delivering visual content for the ISoc.

The media team works on producing materials such as posters,

graphics and gifs to support each event/initiative online as well as

in the form of tickets, leaflets and flyers.

The publicity team then takes these carefully curated pieces of art

and distributes them across all our social media platforms ensuring

everyone is informed and can benefits from these amazing events

insha'Allah.

Both teams work together closely to provide a steady stream of

updates on what the ISoc has to offer.

So join us this year from 26th-1st November

and help bring our vision to life! This year’s

events include our CW annual launch, CW

Heist and our flagship auction dinner. Don’t

miss out!!

RUMSRUMS caters for the many muslim medics at

UCL, striving to create a community where we

are more than just medics, striving for Ihsan

(excellence) in every aspect of life. We aim to

facilitate RUMS students in developing

spiritually, socially and academically whilst

providing a supportive network right through the

6 years at university. We do this through

providing key tarbiyyah events aimed at dealing

with the challenges of being a muslim medic,

regular revision tutorials and mock exams and

rewarding outreach opportunities, allowing our

members to give back to the community.For

more information, be sure to keep updated

through our social media - @rums.isoc.7 on

Facebook and rums.isoc on Instagram.

SoPSalam! SoP ISoc (School of Pharmacy) is a

department of The ISoc that caters for pharmacy

students, as well as students studying other

courses. We offer crash courses tailored towards

helping you excel in your studies during university,

as well as alumni events to provide an insight into

potential career avenues to pursue.

Stay tuned for our exciting speaker events,

unmissable socials and much more!

Strengthening the brotherhood and sisterhood at

SoP, and integrating pharm students with main

ISoc, is another one of our aims. This gives SoP

students the opportunity to meet fellow Muslims

studying different courses, to benefit all during

these difficult unprecedented times.

To stay up to date with SoP events, please follow

our social media @isoc.uclsop (Facebook)

@uclsop_isoc (Instagram)

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The Typewriter team are here to give you a creative platform! We aim to help Muslims

across campus with issues that are pertinent to them by exploring it in our regular

newsletter. We also intend to enhance students' voices by working together to improve

their writing abilities, and publishing pieces they've written in our newsletter. Typewriter

will allow ISoc to reach the community, with a compilation of relevant and interesting

topics that intend to holistically nurture its readers. Any ideas and contributions are very

welcome so please do get in contact with Haseeb (haseeb.akhtar.17@ucl.ac.uk) or

Juwairiyah (zchaaft@ucl.ac.uk) and we will take it from there in'shaAllah.

FIAThe department serves as a

means to empower Muslims on

campus to impact change on a

local and international level

whilst keeping firm to their

Islamic principles.

To date, the department has

worked on a whole range of

issues, ranging from the war in

Yemen to environmental

activism. If supporting

humanitarian causes across the

globe is your calling, then this is

the department for you! 

Typewriter

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DEPARTM

ENTS

Project Elevate is ISoc’s Outreach department where we support the wider community

through a range of programs. From food drives for the homeless, to our unique new

mentoring program, there’s so much opportunities to get involved and give back! We

also run events to serve you as UCL students – keep an eye out for our themed week,

and do get involved!

"Whoever helps ease someone in difficulty, Allah (swt) will make it easy for him in this

world and in the Hereafter."[Sahih Muslim 2699]

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We all know university is a journey, but it doesn’t have to end

when you graduate! The Muslim Alumni Network is the most

unique branch of ISOC because the events and assistance we

offer continue for life!

Whether you need help writing a great cover letter, applying

for your dream internship or worried about your faith when

work starts, we are here to help you every step of the way!

We organise regular socials and networking events to support

our Alumni as well as to help current students make the most

of the experiences and advice that our Alumni have to share

and offer. We also offer various classes and resources such as

interactive workshops, CV clinics and much, much more which

provides everything an ambitious Muslim needs to brace the

world of work with Ihsan!

We hope the Alumni Network will act as a point of contact for

Muslim graduates, past, present and future and Insha’Allah

will lead to building a Muslim community beyond UCL.

Project Elevate

Alumni Network

1) Get rid of distractions! Turn off your phone to focus on short bouts of intense work with nothing to

distract you, and then reward yourself with some phone time!

2) Make sure to take frequent breaks. Research has shown that taking multiple breaks after short sessions

of work allow you to focus and take in more information. These breaks can go from having a munch to

doing some exercise, anything to get you away from the screen for a bit!

3) Getting a good night sleep helps when you have online class as you will be more focused and productive

throughout the lecture!

4) Get yourself out of bed! Make your bed in the morning, then stay away from your bed when studying -

try to use a desk if possible. This way you’ll be more alert and less lethargic!

5) Log on to your online lectures as if you were attending a lecture in real life! Try to wake up early and get

dressed (rather than watching lectures in your pyjamas) so you get into the spirit of it and can concentrate

more

6) Write a timetable for yourself at the start of the day and get a friend to hold you accountable and check

in with you either half way through or at the end of the day

7) Mentally prepare yourself for the day ahead. Try and set little targets for yourself throughout the day but

also don’t be disheartened if you don’t achieve them all. Remember to take baby steps as we adapt

ourselves to the new normal and always have full tawakkul in Allah especially with the uncertain times

ahead. As the youngsters say these days, speak productivity into existence!

8) Try to keep a routine, both with your studies but also other things like meals, relaxation time and chores -

even when you have more/less work than normal, having a set routine will give you some sort of structure

for the day

9) Try to make sure you look after your physical health so try to eat healthily and exercise regularly to make

sure you give your body the best chance at coping with the workload- health body, healthy mind!

YOUR ISOC COMMITTEE <3

VIRTUAL LEARNING TIPS

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ANON

A MEDIC FRESHER EXPERIENCE

First year medicine is a rollercoaster. By that I mean it’s a fun and exciting experience, even if it

does make you feel a little nauseous at times throughout the year. What you might expect are

chilly Autumn days flicking through massive medical books in a warmly lit library, studiously pre-

reading the next day’s lectures. The reality is a bit… different. Or was a bit different for me

anyways. First term is mostly spent selling donuts and taking pictures in the quad. It also involved a

lot of running around campus alongside friends trying to attend ISoc events.

 

To say university itself was a culture shock for me would be an understatement. I went from my

small town in the countryside, where the most exciting event tends to be something like the

opening of a Starbucks, to the bright lights of London where the air is heavy with carcinogens and

people cross the road as if they’re ready to end it all. Acclimatising to the new environment was

overwhelming, but I found people in the same situation as me and other welcoming faces through

getting involved with ISoc.

When it comes to medicine, first year is hard work as you make that step up from A-Levels. For me

that meant spending the first two terms figuring out how to learn all this new content. And then

third term realising I didn’t have enough time to learn it. But it’s not as scary as it sounds, you just

have to make sure you adapt your learning and keep persevering. RUMS academic tutorials were a

life-saver for a lot of us and were a massive support. When there is so much content being thrown

at you so quickly it’s important to be efficient with your studying (so you have time to come to ISoc

events). The one thing that will be drummed into your head throughout first year is that you need to

learn how to learn, and it’s true. I still haven’t figured it out completely, but I’m in a better place

than I was last year!

In terms of my experience with ISoc, Alhamdulillah, the events have been a lot of fun and

benefited me hugely. In particular shout out to the Tarbiyah Department’s Foundations Programme

for being everyone’s favourite way to reconnect to your faith. Then there’s Charity Week, an

inspiring week of unity among young Muslims in London and across the country. The sprint to

jummah every Friday was always worth it for the khutbahs that addressed the most relevant issues

and seemed to hit the nail on the head every week. And I can’t forget the free biryani- feeling

bloated after ISoc socials was one of few constants throughout the hectic year.

F R E S H E R S H A N D B O O K | 1 8

Ultimately ISoc has provided me with an environment where I didn’t have to be on the defensive

when it came to my faith. Instead, it has encouraged me to develop and strengthen my Iman

through forming beneficial friendships and constantly trying to seek knowledge

With respect to medicine itself, I thought I knew what I was letting myself in for. And yet still some

of the content has truly made me consider my status in this Dunya. There have been many times I

have thought Subhanallah at the intricacies of Allah’s creation. Even when it was being delivered

to me by the driest lecturer (why do they speak sooo slow?!). Paradoxically, the speed at which

they move through the course can be overwhelming. But the reason everyone gets through it fine

and whilst having a lot of fun is because we’re all in the same boat. The friends I have made this

year have truly got me through it all and I thank Allah for that. Don’t ever feel scared to reach out,

the ISoc community is massively supportive and we’ve all probably felt exactly how you’re feeling.

 

So next for me is that dark shadowy place the sun doesn’t touch- second year. But for all you wide-

eyed freshers my advice is not to let this year pass you by. Work hard, get involved, have fun and

don’t be afraid to embrace the ISoc as we all can’t wait to meet you! May Allah SWT bless all of

you and make it easy insha’Allah!

F R E S H E R S H A N D B O O K | 1 9

ANON.

A FRESHERS EXPERIENCE

I just came across an Instagram story of a medic who left this year. It was a video of a group of

friends holding charity boxes. They weren’t doing much- just standing around. The story was

captioned, “Memory lane hitting me tonight”. And on it was slapped the date: 22nd October 2016. It

seems odd how for him and I, the more substantial memories of things like auction events are

supplanted by the daily hum-drums of university.

 

It’s 9 o’clock and the 3rd year sitting in B1 looks at his phone: “Someone save me a seat. I’m gonna be

there by 2”.

“Yeah me too”, says another.

 

Two more follow suit. He sighs and gets up reluctantly. Off comes the scarf; the jacket is hung on

one chair; the bag on another, and problem sheets scattered on a fourth. With all his valued

possessions distributed around the room, he returns to his chair. It’s now midday and people start

trickling in: one plods himself on a chair and takes a laptop out. He’s about to set to work, when he

spots a mini congregation in the corner. What’s that happening? He wonders.  And It isn’t long

before he’s dragged into a heated discussion regarding the fiqh of conjoined twins. 15 minutes work

justifies an hour’s break for our ISoc heroes. Ingenious games are spontaneously invented on the

stairs, improvised bottle-cricket games are played outside the chaplain’s office and the alleged

“great acoustics” of the staircases make them a centre for honing Quran recitation.

When Ramadan comes with the heat of June, the activities become even more varied. Whilst a few

would be bent over textbooks, hifdh-testing would occur between two in the meditation room; Walk

into the Contemplation room and there’s one -usually notorious for an unhealthy attachment to

food- slumped in the corner. Not for long however; it’s hardly 7pm before he’s rudely awakened and

told to offload the iftar food. Mumbling something about how he “should’ve gone home”, he trundles

to the awaiting delivery-car. With boxes heaved out and carried to the JB, tables are rolled out,

chairs are arranged, and then it’s back to the old QCR- in time for iftar.

When I first came to UCL, I found a hopeless disjointedness in all the wildly varied things that it

offered. University had barely started, and the UCL advertising machines were in full flourish: “Get

involved” was the prescribed medication for freshers, and my timeline was flooded with posts about

this thing called Phineas, adverts for fresher’s bands and society presidents calling, from budding

knitters to seasoned footballers, to sign up.

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Sitting in a lecture one day, tracking this orange cup I had ordered the day before, I felt the girl next

to me inch closer and closer. “ooh are you applying for internships?”, she asks. I look up and her head

is fully arched over my shoulder. “Errr…No…” I reply, hastily jabbing at the x icon on the Royal Mail

Webpage. “Oh, cos everyone’s been applying, and I just haven’t done anything!”, she said betraying a

nervous giggle. I didn’t really know what an internship was. But I gave her a smile and told her that I

was sure there were plenty to go around.

Stumbling across a pot of bumbling eccentrics at the ISoc Icebreakers was the first time I felt at

home.Though they were at that moment, furiously poking spaghetti into marshmallows,

I felt the calm of self-assuredness about them. Where this quiet confidence came from was

answered by a Tarbiyyah session on the story of “The Boy and the King”. The Boy, in his singular desire

of pleasing Allah, called out to the King to submit to Allah. It was this, I found, that could make the

Islamic Society snap, with such alarming swiftness, from “let’s wrestle over a bottle” to formidable

churners of 70,000 pound-raising charity events. Like the solving of a great big puzzle, that singular

purpose of pleasing Allah brought all their delightfully chaotic endeavours together. And from this

rose a certain spirit or atmosphere too difficult to bottle. Yet I felt it. And the medic brother did too. 

And it was only through describing the simple mundanities of daily life that we could hope to bottle

that feeling.

 

As the horror stories of events in countries like China, Burma and Palestine, appear on newspapers, I

always took comfort in the ayah, “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be

its guardian”. But it also seemed strangely cryptic. And it was through making the terrible mistake of

jumping in as host for a Lost Islamic History Week that I came closer to fully appreciating the ayah. As

I stumbled through most of it, I realised, with horror, that I had massively underestimated the

expected turnout. At the same time, I found it quite ironic how over sixty Muslims could gather at

5pm, and sigh nostalgically over pictures of the Alhambra Palace. A thriving religion is marked by the

steadfastness of its believers, rather than palace gardens. Much of history was characterised by the

believers being a minority, and their loyalty to His message being tested by the prevailing culture.

 

In a culture’s fickleness, lies its flaw. What your great-grandfather wore to impress his in-laws, you

would wear to hasten a divorce. From an outgoing fresher to an incoming one, I want you to

remember that you have a very specific role to play. As you flick through your Instagram stories of

dancing lights and cocktails in sky gardens, remember the despairing cries of St Jerome, as the

Visigoths crashed through his beloved city, “If Rome fell, then what can be safe?” Through the tumult

of Nimrod’s Babylon to 600 AD Makkah, Allah chose the likes of Ibrahim (AS) and Muhammad (SAW)

to keep one thing safe. And as you catch the faltering Adhaan in the QCR, remember that Allah now

chooses you and a small community of believers, burrowed in Warren Street, to guard his religion.

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THE QUIET CONTEMPLATIONROOMS

The QCR's are at the heart of

everything the Islamic society do.

Here at UCL we have a large

amount of facilities that we can

use to pray. At the start of 2019,

the brand new QCR was

completed and this is where every

salah will be held in congregation.

It is located on Floor B2 of the

Student Centre, located at 27-28

Gordon Square, London WC1H

0AW.

As well as this, the spaces are also

a great escape from the stresses

of everyday life. Somewhere where

we can reconnect with the Qu'ran

or do adkhar.

As well as this, there is also the old QCR

which is on the path leading from the

Bernard Katz Building towards the Henry

Morley Building.

The Islamic society provides Jumu'ah every

Friday found on the second floor of the

Bloomsbury theatre building.

There are wu'dhu facilities available on

both B2 and by the old QCRS.

Salah in congregation is27 times more

meritorious than a salahperformed individually

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Jumu'ah spaceNew QCR

Old QCR

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Due to COVID - life will be very different

this year. We will update you as soon as

we can insha'Allah. Local mosques include

Muslim World League, Shahjalal mosque

and Regents park Mosque