Islamic Society Elects Leadership

Wasim W. Quadir ’03 was elected president of the Harvard Islamic Society (HIS) following a two-hour-long closed meeting of the student organization last night.

Quadir said he plans to increase campus awareness of HIS—a group that has come into the limelight this semester after the surge in American anti-Arab rhetoric following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks—form strategic alliances with other Harvard groups and work to unify the group’s undergraduate and graduate students.

To that end, HIS voted last night to create two ad hoc positions, an officer for internal issues and another officer to oversee external affairs.

The current HIS president, Said Iqbal Shah Mohammed ’02, has focused his energy on increasing awareness and tolerance for the Muslim faith at Harvard.

Quadir said he will remain committed to this cause, although he said he does not expect to fully abolish anti-Islamic sentiment on campus.

“That is a goal that can never be achieved,” he said.

But he acknowledged that positive steps had been taken after Sept. 11.

“I think people have been more exposed to Islam,” he said.

Quadir’s fellow HIS members, who described the group’s presidency as a uniquely difficult position, said they were pleased with the outcome of the election.

“[Leading HIS] requires taking care not only of the internal needs of the organization, but seeing that people’s spiritual needs are met—that’s a very big responsibility,” said Zayed M. Yasin ’02, who served as the group’s president two years ago.

The organization also elected a treasurer, secretary and four graduate student officers last night.