The Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life is proud to support a diverse Muslim community with hundreds of students on campus.
Guided by Dr. Bilal Sert, assistant chaplain for Muslim Life, SMU’s Muslim community is thriving and growing!
We offer regular opportunities for Jumu’ah prayer, Islamic holiday celebrations, and programs that encourage learning, fellowship and community-building.
Central to Muslim life at SMU, Jumu’ah and Islamic holidays offer opportunities for prayer, reflection and community. Weekly Jumu’ah prayers and celebrations of major holidays such as Ramadan and Eid bring the community together on the Hilltop.
During the academic year, join us every Friday at 2 p.m. in Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Room 220BC for Jumu’ah prayers, including a khutbah (sermon) and congregational prayer. Two Ablution rooms are located near the prayer room. All members of the SMU community, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, are warmly invited to join us.
SMU honors religious belief and practice through its Religious Observance Policy for students, including accommodations for Muslim holiday observances and consideration of these holidays when planning major University events. Students celebrate holidays and traditions with their Muslim Student Life community.
Our Muslim chaplain and the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at SMU work together to provide social, cultural, educational and religious activities for the campus Muslim community. From Ramadan Iftars to MSA Showdown and Charity Banquet, Muslim students are engaged and active.
SMU Muslim Student Association provides Muslim students with a strong home base for religious, cultural and social life.
SMU’s Muslim chaplain and the Muslim Student Association work together to provide fun and meaningful activities for the campus Muslim community. Some noteworthy events include:
Yes, SMU welcomes and supports Muslim students. The Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life on campus seeks to create an inclusive community for those of all religious backgrounds through spiritual mentorship as well as programming for events and religious holidays.
SMU supports students’ religious practices. SMU has a dedicated Muslim Prayer Room located on the second floor of Hughes-Trigg Student Center, around the corner from the Office of the Wellbeing Education (Suite 208). Two Ablution rooms are located nearby, as well. In addition, there are multireligious prayer spaces in Kathy Crow Commons, Frances Anne Moody Hall and Cox School of Business. For holidays, SMU’s Religious Observance Policy for students ensures that students are able to observe their religious practice.
Halal chicken is available in both campus dining halls (Umphrey Lee and Arnold). Halal “grab and go” options are available at Mac’s Place and The Market (in Hughes Trigg).
SMU maintains a Religious Observance Policy for students which details guidelines on how students and professors can work together so students can observe their religious practices while maintaining their academic life. SMU Dining provides takeout suhoor boxes upon request and the Muslim Student Association provides Iftar meals throughout Ramadan, during the academic year.
Yes, the Muslim Student Association is an active campus organization that celebrates Muslim life and welcomes students of all backgrounds to learn more about Muslim culture and faith.
The Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life offers multireligious programs that bring together people of diverse beliefs and perspectives to build community and deepen our understanding of the world. This includes the Dr. Dennis Simon Civil Rights Pilgrimage, where students, faculty and staff from SMU journey together for an experiential learning tour centered on the American Civil Rights Movement; and Interfaith Fellows, a select group of students who work closely with the office to imagine and implement dialogue and educational opportunities on campus and beyond.
Yes, SMU has a dedicated Muslim Prayer Room located on the second floor of Hughes-Trigg Student Center, around the corner from the Office of the Wellbeing Education (Suite 208). Two Ablution rooms are located nearby, as well. In addition, there are multireligious prayer spaces in Kathy Crow Commons, Frances Anne Moody Hall and Cox School of Business.