page_title: Glasgow University Muslim Students Association
section_title: 1987–1991
hierarchical_section_title: Glasgow University Muslim Students Association / History / 1987–1991
caption_attribution_description: English: Membership card for Glasgow University Muslim Students Association from 1987/88
context_page_description: The Glasgow University Muslim Students Association is an Islamic society aimed at catering for Muslim and non-Muslim students at the University of Glasgow. GUMSA was established in 1968, it is one of the largest societies on the university campus as well as being the oldest Muslim student organisation in Scotland and one of the oldest in the United Kingdom.
context_section_description: In 1987, leadership came from an individual who has gone on to become a prominent member of the academic circle in Malaysia - Prof Dr Mohd Tengku Sembok.
  The following year would bring a change which had never before been seen in the history of GUMSA; as grants given by the Malaysian government to study overseas began to run dry, the society would be overtaken by individuals who were both born and brought up in the city of Glasgow. This led to the dawn of a new era in the society; individuals who were brought up in the city and considered Scotland their home were more comfortable challenging societal norms and standing face to face with the status quo. As such the first recorded GUMSA member to run for elections in the Students' representative council was elected - Dr Majid Anwar - the President of GUMSA at the time, was elected as the representative for the faculty of medicine.
  Despite the new energy the organisation had found, its sister organisation - SUMSA - was much larger than it, and it was consistently struggling to gain prominence in light of the much more popular 'GUAsia' to which most individuals of South Asian descent would favour over GUMSA.
  The society had membership cards (pictured is the card of the treasurer at the time - Shahed Quayum).
  The society co-wrote a fortnightly newsletter with its sister organisation from Strathclyde University - SUMSA.
  In 1990, under the new leadership of Zaid Akhtar, the society managed for the first time to allow halal food to be served in the University canteen. For a variety of reasons, the society had little to no female involvement at this time.
caption: GUMSA Membership card from 1987/88
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