16 October 2001

Student Finds Comfort in Muslim Association at Georgetown U.

Washington -- In the troubled and uncertain times following the terrorist attacks in New York City in September that left thousands dead and buried under rubble that is still smoking, Owais Balti says he finds comfort and support as a member and president of Georgetown University's Muslim Students Association.

Balti, a Kashmiri-born senior from Buffalo, New York, studies finance at the Jesuit institution, which was founded in 1789 and counts among its most famous alumni former President Bill Clinton (Class of 1968).

Sitting on a park bench in front of the university's Healy Building on a beautiful fall day in October, Balti told the Washington File that of the school's approximately 350 Muslim students, about 150 are regular members of the association he heads. Activities, he explained, center around prayer sessions and discussions led by Georgetown's Muslim chaplain, Imam Yahya Hendi.

"Self-development and spiritual growth, as well as good fellowship," are the goals of the association, Balti said.

He added that the association provides "the type of support that I used to get from my family when I lived at home. At the same time, [it provides] an atmosphere that encourages spiritual growth where I can learn about my religion -- basically it's a home away from home." Not all meetings are so spiritual, however, as Balti and Imam Hendi planned a "pizza evening" for the association's students after both were interviewed.

On a darker note, when told that a number of Georgetown business graduates were killed when terrorists crashed two jet passenger planes into their offices in New York City's World Trade Center Towers September 11, Balti said: "I can identify with that. I plan a business career and could conceivably end up working in New York City."

Self-proclaimed Muslim extremists hijacked three passenger planes the morning of September 11, diving two of them into the World Trade Center Towers in Manhattan and the third into the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia, outside Washington. A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after a death struggle between hijackers and passengers. More than 4,800 bodies still lie under the rubble in New York City and President Bush has vowed to bring the chief suspects -- Saudi-born terrorist Usama Bin Laden and his al Qaeda network -- to justice.

"Now more than ever," said Balti, "I find that practicing my Muslim faith not only helps guide me through life as a student, but it also provides a feeling of security during these times of uncertainty."

Asked if reports of the harassment of Muslims and Arab-Americans following the attacks concerned him, Balti said that in his own case, "the Georgetown University community has responded very well." He added, "I really think most of the reported cases of harassment are just the actions of a few uneducated, ignorant people and do not in any way represent the mainstream of America."

But Balti quickly added: "I don't feel I have to be so defensive about this. After all, I am an American and I would never have anything to do with such an atrocity. I can't speak for all Muslims, but I do know that such acts could never be justified by the tenets of my faith -- Islam is a religion of peace and justice."

Looking on the bright side, Balti said: "There is now an opportunity for us [Muslims] to help people learn more about Islam. But at the same time we also have a higher duty to educate Muslims to know more about their own faith so that they will not follow fanatics. My [Muslim] religion teaches me to stand up for the universal principles of peace and justice, even if that means going against popular leaders or even my own people."