When the clock strikes noon, Iman Muhammad, sophomore, goes to Room 280 instead of her proceeeding class to pay respect to her Muslim faith and devote time during shcool to pray.

“Praying helps me focus, and with the help of Allah, my anxiety escapes,” Muhammad said. “The prayers give me a sense of virtue and I believe it has brought the [Muslim] community closer at school.”

Muhammad is the president of Muslim Student Association (MSA) and has noticed the positive results in her personal life and the Muslim community at school following the start of in-school prayers.

Beginning in early November, MSA started praying daily at school during the passing period before the seventh hour on C -Days and the sixth hour on A and B-Days, Muhammad said. 

Sophomore Humnah Khan, vice president of MSA, said Muslims are required to do five mandatory prayers: Fajr during sunrise, Dhuhr during noon, Asr during afternoon, Maghrib during sunset and Isha during night. The one conducted during school, in particular, is Dhuhr, Khan said. 

“It is a religious obligation, and it is nice to set time for God because it grounds me and allows me to accept my whole self,” Khan said.

Due to daylight savings, the time for this specific prayer is between noon and 2 p.m. which is why it must be done during school because by the time we reach home it’s too late, Khan said. 

Khan said the prayers last about 10 minutes, so passes are given in case anyone is late to their next class. However, the Friday prayers are considered special and usually longer because it is considered a holy day according to the Quran.

“We want to keep the prayer long enough, so we aren’t disrespectful to the religion but short enough so we take less time out of our education,” Khan said.

Junior Mohid Idrees, secretary of MSA, was involved in finding a space to pray and currently leads the school prayer.

To Idrees, carrying out his faith during school keeps him calm, he said.

“It’s hard to put into words because it means more than I can say it means,” Idrees said. “Praying with the group is often the most peaceful part of my day and even more peaceful than praying at home.” 

In past years, only about two or three people prayed at school. Now, approximately 15 people attend, Idrees said. He said the increased participation called for a larger room.

“I am very thankful for the school allowing us to pray,” Idrees said.

Junior Principal Dr. Richard Regina said he felt it was his duty to find a space big enough for the increasing number of students wanting to take part in the prayers.

“I want students to feel encouraged to pray, and it is my job to find a private and comfortable space for them to do so,” Dr. Regina said. “This experience with MSA has been gratifying and I am always available to help other students who want to pray because I know it means a lot to them.”