About Islam
No question is too basic
السلام عليكم Assalamu alaikum means “peace be upon you.” It’s the greeting Muslims share with one another, and it’s our welcome to you.
The Muslim Students Association at Michigan Tech put this page together for our neighbors, classmates and colleagues who are curious about Islam and the Muslims they meet in Houghton. It’s a short, friendly starting point, not the last word. If your question isn’t answered here, we’d love to hear it.
Islam in brief
Islam is a monotheistic faith in the same family as Judaism and Christianity. Muslims believe in one God and follow the Quran (Islam’s holy book) and the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The word “Islam” means submission to God.
Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Arabic-speaking Christians use it too.
Muslims believe the one God sent prophets to people throughout history. Among them are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the last of the prophets.
The Five Pillars
These are the core practices of Muslim life:
- Shahada (testimony): declaring faith that there is no god but God and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His messenger.
- Salah (prayer): praying five times a day, at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and night.
- Zakat (charity): giving 2.5% of one’s savings to people in need each year, once those savings reach a set minimum.
- Sawm (fasting): fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan.
- Hajj (pilgrimage): making the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime, for those who are able.
Questions we often hear
Do Muslims believe in Jesus?
Yes. Muslims honor Jesus, born to the Virgin Mary, as one of the greatest prophets and messengers of God. They do not believe he is God or the son of God.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, reflection, charity and community. From dawn to sunset, Muslims go without food and drink, even water, to grow closer to God and to build self-discipline, gratitude and empathy for people in need. Fasting is about more than food: it is about intention and character.
Young children don’t have to fast, and some people are excused, including people who are sick, elderly people who can’t fast, people who are pregnant or nursing, and travelers. Those excused for a while make up the missed days later, and those who can’t fast at all feed a person in need for each missed day instead. The month ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Why do some Muslim women wear hijab?
Many Muslim women wear the hijab, a headscarf, as an act of faith and modesty. Experiences differ, and every woman’s story is her own. MSA has also hosted events where guests could try on a hijab.
Can non-Muslims join MSA or visit the MSA Community Center, our masjid?
Yes, and we’d love to meet you. You don’t have to be Muslim to join MSA, and everyone is welcome at our events, from Eid celebrations and iftars (the sunset meals that break the Ramadan fast) to potlucks, trips and workshops.
Visitors are also welcome at the Community Center, at 2001 Woodmar Dr in Houghton. It is our masjid (the Arabic word for mosque): the daily prayers and the Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) are held there, and the times are on our Prayer Times page. Our Contact page has a few tips for a first visit. The door opens with a Michigan Tech ID card, so if you don’t have one, or have any questions, email msa@mtu.edu before you come.
Did you know?
Tap a question to see the answer. Many of these come from the trivia cards at our K-Day and Faith Fair tables.
About how many Muslims are there in the world?
There are about 2 billion Muslims in the world, roughly 1 in 4 people on Earth.
Which three countries are home to a third of the world’s Muslims?
About a third of the world’s Muslims live in just three countries: Indonesia, Pakistan and India.
Are most Muslims Arab?
Most Muslims are not Arab. Nearly 6 in 10 live in Asia and the Pacific, and about 1 in 5 live in the Middle East and North Africa.
Which woman has a whole chapter of the Quran named after her?
Mary, the mother of Jesus, has a whole chapter of the Quran named after her: chapter 19, Maryam.
How many times is Jesus mentioned by name in the Quran?
Jesus is mentioned by name 25 times in the Quran, where he is called Isa.
Why does Ramadan come earlier every year?
Ramadan starts about 11 days earlier each year. It follows the lunar calendar, and twelve lunar months add up to about 354 days.
Which way do Muslims in Houghton face to pray?
From Houghton, the shortest path to Makkah on the globe heads northeast, about 47 degrees east of north, even though a flat map puts Makkah a little south of east. That’s why many North American Muslims face northeast to pray.
Where does the word “algebra” come from?
The word “algebra” comes from the Arabic al-jabr, from a 9th-century book written in Baghdad by the mathematician al-Khwarizmi. His name gave us the word “algorithm.”
Population figures: Pew Research Center, 2025.
Watch and learn
Short videos and talks from MSA gatherings, recorded at the Community Center and at campus events. YouTube makes the captions automatically, so a few words may be off.
What Is Ramadan?
Ramadan Awareness Day · 1:36
A short, upbeat look at our table in the Van Pelt and Opie Library, where students stopped by to ask what fasting during Ramadan is really like.
Research Excellence and Ethics: A Guide for Muslim Graduate Students
MSA gathering · 23:06
An MSA graduate student shares practical advice for graduate school: planning a PhD, keeping a good lab notebook, research ethics and authorship, working with an advisor, and looking after your mental health.
The Prophet’s Mercy
MSA gathering · 0:52
A one-minute reminder of the mercy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his care not to make things hard for people.
Preparing the Heart for Ramadan
Friday sermon · 22:38 (the sermon runs 2:09 to 18:10)
Given a few days before Ramadan 2026, it covers getting ready for the month through fasting, the night prayers, charity and guarding the tongue.
Ask a Muslim anything.
Have a question you’d rather not ask out loud? Ask it in our short anonymous form. It doesn’t ask for your name or email, and you don’t need to sign in.
We’ll choose a few questions and answer them in short posts on Instagram and Facebook. Answers about faith are reviewed before they’re posted and include their sources.
Prefer to talk? Email msa@mtu.edu, or come say salaam at one of our events.
Invite MSA
Want to learn more with your class, club or group? MSA students are glad to come to you, or to welcome you at the Community Center. Here is what we can offer, depending on our volunteers’ availability.
A short talk
A short, friendly introduction to Islam, Ramadan or Muslim student life, for your class, club or team.
A student panel
A few MSA members answer your group’s questions about faith and everyday life as Muslim students in Houghton.
The trivia table
Our “Guess the Fact” trivia cards from the Faith Fair, with MSA students to play along, for your fair or campus event.
A group visit to the Community Center
Bring your class or group to the MSA Community Center. We’ll show you around and answer your questions. Here are a few tips for a first visit.
Send us a message with your group, the date you have in mind and about how many people. We are students, so writing early helps us plan around classes and exams. The board reads every message at msa@mtu.edu and replies within a week.
Teaching at Michigan Tech? See the expected dates of Ramadan and Eid on our page Islamic dates for your syllabus.