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US Muslim student group at University of Iowa secures prayer space
The University of Iowa in USA is reconfiguring two former offices in its Iowa Memorial Union to be used as full-time prayer spaces, primarily for the school's Muslim faculty, staff, and students.
The University of Iowa in USA is reconfiguring two former offices in its Iowa Memorial Union to be used as full-time prayer spaces, primarily for the school's Muslim faculty, staff, and students.
On this River to River segment, host Ben Kieffer sits down with Saad Ansari, president of the University of Iowa Muslim Student Association, to discuss the need for a space for private prayer on campus.
"Having this space is a tremendous step for Muslims, just to fulfill their basic responsibilities as a Muslim," Ansari says.
"Since this is such a very personal and deep thing, a lot of us don't feel comfortable in a public space. People are going behind us, past us and then the bigger concern, especially in this time where there's a lot of rhetoric from political candidates with Islamophobic thoughts, is that we don't feel safe. When we're on the ground and praying, someone could come behind us and anything could happen. It can be kind of scary."
