It is time for the Asr Salat, or late afternoon prayer. Because Waheed has no opportunity between classes to attend the mosque nearest campus, he makes time wherever he is to practice his faith. His religion requires prayer five times a day at designated times from sunrise to sunset, and for him, finding a convenient time and place to worship is not always easy. You should go to the mosque and pray five times a day, but if you can t, you can pray at home or at work, the biology junior said. You find a quiet place in the corner where you won t disrupt somebody and they won t disrupt you.
Every building has that place.
Waheed, like other non-Christian students, must at times make certain concessions to practice his faith. Some are at a disadvantage because their access to area religious facilities is limited, either by sheer number or lack of transportation. An absence of campus religious organizations can also make it difficult to find support from those of similar faiths. As a result, these students must often make adjustments in the manner and frequency with which they pray to study in an environment dominated by Christianity. Limited Access Ashar Ahmed, an information systems graduate student, said that Arlington has several mosques where he can practice his Islamic faith, but that an on-campus room in which to pray would be helpful.