The Cougar's Byte

Issue date: 2/26/07 Section: Campus Life

Greeted with the words of peace, A Salama Lakem, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) kicked off their first annual Poetry/Comedy Night on Friday, February 9, 2007. Hosted by world renowned poet Brother Dash, poets and comedians from schools such as The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Montclair State University, Rutgers Newark and New Brunswick, and our own, Kean University gathered together, showcasing some of the best talent in New Jersey.

Mohammad Yasin, a vibrant fourth grade student with a gift for recitation, completely wowed the audience as he spoke the beautiful scriptures of the Koran. The poets from NJIT represented to the fullest, deciding to come hard or not come at all. Ahmad Yousaf performed a piece called "Standing Alone". Ahmad's poem painted a vivid picture of a family tormented in a society that forces them to live amongst people whose minds are poisoned with thoughts of terrorism. Faz Safdar took the audience outside of the University Center to his "Ancestor's Grave", with an untitled work that spoke to the hearts of all in attendance. Mustafa Gatollari and Mohammad Tourran, comedians from Rutgers Newark and Rutgers New Brunswick, had everyone bursting out of their seats from laughter with their awkward but hilarious sense of humor.

Sara Alsindi, a student from Bergen Community College said, "I really enjoyed the show. The comedy was my favorite part. All of the comedians were great." Asna Hasan, Treasurer of MSA and senior Elementary Education major said, "I think tonight was a good night. It showed a different side of Muslims. We wish more people who are non-Muslim would have come out, so that they could get a better feel for the Muslim community."

The highlight of the evening occurred as the night was brought to a close. The event's host, Brother Dash honored the audience with a few poetry selections. Silence fell over the room, with the entire audience enveloped in a lyrical trance as Brother Dash performed. He concluded the evening with a creative piece called "Boom Chicka Boom", which spoke to the truths of everyday problems we face in relationships and the hustle and bustle of life. And with that, the fun came to an end and it became time to get back to reality.

The night was a huge success and left many yearning for more. To all those who missed it, stay tuned. Next year is sure to be greater than this one.

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