Using the Qur’an, Sunnah, Sirah, and contemporary scholarship, students will examine Islam as a coherent moral and spiritual tradition shaping individual conduct and communal responsibility. Students will learn about core Islamic beliefs and ethical implications, analyze Islamic practices as moral formation, apply Islamic ethical principles to contemporary life, and integrate belief, practice, and ethics into personal reflection.
The Fellowship is open to Occidental College students at all levels of familiarity with Islam. Prior experience with Islamic studies of leadership in not required. Priority will be given to applicants able to commit to weekly participation. The fellowship seminar will meet for five weeks on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Muslim Prayer Room located in Lower Herrick. The first session is Tuesday, March 17. Dinner will be provided for every session.
The Office for Religious and Spiritual Life can accept up to ten Occidental College students for the fellowship. The selection committee will review all applications holistically based on the following criteria:
- Thoughtfulness and sincerity of responses;
- Willingness to engage in ethical reflection;
- Openness to learning and dialogue; and,
- Commitment to community participation.
Participants are expected to: engage respectfully with diverse perspectives; uphold a learning environment grounded in dignity and care; and actively participate in discussion and reflection. Applications are due by noon on Friday, March 13, 2026. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by noon on Monday, March 16. The first session is Tuesday, March 17 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Muslim Prayer Room located in Lower Herrick.
Please email your completed application to: spirituallife@oxy.edu
Policy on Academic Accommodations for Reasons of Faith and Conscience
As Occidental College strives to provide a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality, we recognize that the student body includes adherents of many faiths and students who passionately believe their ideology. As our student body becomes more diverse, it is increasingly important that we, as an inclusive community, make academic accommodations for students from a variety of religious, spiritual and cultural backgrounds and personal convictions. View the full policy and the procedure for requesting accommodations for reasons of faith and conscience.
View a list of religious and spiritual holidays and days of conscience.