The West Virginia University Muslim Student Association is sponsoring free Arabic language and Islam classes each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Mountainlair.
The classes, located in Hatfields, are taught by Imam Sohail Chaudhry of the Morgantown Islamic Center and are provided free of charge.
Chaudhry said the classes are open to anyone interested in learning the Islamic or Arabic languages, and previous classes have included a variety of people, from WVU students to the elderly.
Those who come are free to stay the entire two hours or attend the course of interest to them. The Arabic class is offered during the first hour, and the Islam class takes place during the second hour. Chaudhry said those who want to attend the Arabic portion should start attending classes during the beginning of a semester because concepts are built on in each class.
The Arabic course is set up in two half-hour segments. The first half hour focuses on reading and writing the Arabic alphabet, called the "huroof." The second half hour is spent learning vocabulary, grammar and useful phrases, including "maahaadha?" the Arabic equivalent of, "what is this?"
"If you find yourself in an Arabic-speaking country, you can just point to everything and say, ‘Maahaadha? Maahaadha?' then they will know that you don't know anything," Chaundhry said.
Chaundhry said the course is paced so students can easily understand new vocabulary and concepts.
Juliana de la Mora, a professor of linguistics and Spanish at WVU, said she is taking the class because she enjoys learning new languages.
"When I learned English, a whole new world opened for me, so I'm hoping for the same," she said.
Catalina Mendez, who also teaches Spanish and linguistics, said she would like to be able to learn to speak enough Arabic to have a conversation with native speakers.
"I would like to be able to say something intelligent if I come across someone who speaks Arabic," Mendez said.
The Islam course begins immediately following the Arabic course. While Chaudry prepares a lesson for each week, he says the course is largely discussion-based.
"Wherever the students want to go, I go in that direction," he said.
Topics covered in one class included gender roles, the concept of free will and gossip and how these concepts are viewed in the Muslim religion, Chaundhry said.
Mustafa Hashem, a freshman aerospace and mechanical engineering student, said the class has broadened his understanding of his Muslim faith.
"I came to the beginning class and thought it would be stuff I already knew, but it wasn't," he said. "It has opened my mind."
Chaudhry said the Islam class began in 2002 while he was president of the MSA. Chaundhry said he was dismayed at the media's portrayal of the Muslim faith after the events of 9/11, 2001, and thought a free class would be a good way to clarify misconceptions.
"I saw the news and the media portraying Islam in a negative manner and thought, ‘Somebody has to do it,'" he said.
Chaudry said he hopes the community will continue to show interest in the future.
"The need for such knowledge has only increased over time," Chaudry said. "Who could benefit from ignorance, really?"
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