U of 11/29/12

T hires Muslim chaplain who hopes to f ight stereoty pes - The Globe and Mail

Students walk past Conv ocation Hall at the Univ ersity of Toronto.
Sami Siv a/The Globe and Mail

U of T hires Muslim chaplain who hopes to

fight stereotypes
ARMAN AGHBALI
Published Wednesday , Sep. 26, 201 2 06:1 4PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday , Sep. 26, 201 2 07 :1 9PM EDT

The University of Toronto has hired its first full-time Muslim chaplain and the man taking up the
post hopes to combat stereotypes surrounding the faith.
Amjad Tarsin is a 28-year-old of Libyan descent who hails from Ann Arbour, Mich. He began to
devote himself to the religion when he was in university, dropping out of law school to get a degree
in Muslim chaplaincy.
Mr. Tarsin sees himself as a different kind of minister, one who has travelled the world and
identifies himself as a movie buff especially when it comes to Japanese samurai films and The
Lord of the Rings series.
I think its important for students to realize they can still be Muslim and still be uniquely
themselves, he said.
Mr. Tarsins goal is to have an open dialogue with students and create a strong Canadian Muslim
identity on a campus with close to 5,000 Muslim students.
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U of 11/29/12
T hires Muslim chaplain who hopes to f ight stereoty pes - The Globe and Mail

Ruqayyah Ahdab, managing director of the Muslim Chaplaincy at the university, considers Mr.
Tarsin a refreshing change from the perceived norm.
People have a preconceived notion of what a chaplain is, and while thats helpful we would like to
break the barriers and be creative about what a chaplain can be, she said.
When were developing a Canadian Muslim identity, its not prescriptive. Theres no checklist of
what you have to fulfil to be a model Muslim.
To fill the position, the Muslim Students Association raised $70,000 with an online campaign that
began in June. Funding came from around the world, with contributions pouring in from as far
away as Denmark.
Aisha Raja, president of the association, said Mr. Tarsin will cater to a real need among students.
The university campus is huge and we wanted someone to be there on a 24-hour basis because the
need (for guidance) is so pressing. she said. Part-time didnt cut it.
Richard Chambers, the director of the universitys Multi-Faith Centre, agreed, saying it was about
time the university had a full-time Muslim chaplain.
Its simply a reflection of Canadian history and immigration ... We didnt have a big Muslim
population until the early 70s, Mr. Chambers said.
A chaplain can be a helpful sound board to guide students through their development and time in
university.
Mr. Tarsin who begins work Oct. 1 has been hired for one year and the $70,000 raised by
students covers only the initial costs for his appointment. For the chaplaincy to become
sustainable, donations will have to keep rolling in.
The first question our organization is constantly trying to find an answer to is how to shift away
from crowd sourcing, said Ms. Ahbad. We have hope that well be able to continue a year from
now.
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