MSA ‘Ibn Firnas’
Did you know that the Muslim scientist and engineer ʿAbbās bin Firnās was the first person to successfully fly? In 9th century Andalusia, mimicking the flight of birds, he was able to sustain a short gliding flight with a wooden glider.
MSA 'Ibn Firnas' pays homage to this 9th century Andalusian polymath. Founded in Shaʿbān 1426 (September 2005) by three Aerospace Engineering students, this association now has over 200 members from various backgrounds, representing all 8 faculties and study levels at the Delft University of Technology.
Our association is very diverse yet we stand united as Muslims students. We organise events and activities, open and welcoming people of all and no faiths with a warm smile. The cornerstone of our association is empowering students in their spiritual and academic endeavours. To do so, we organise:
Social gatherings to meet fellow likeminded students, whether it be movie nights, bowling, paintballing or the annual iftar (Ramadan feast)
Campus prayer services, including weekly Friday service
Educational lectures and courses, such as conversational and standard Arabic & Qur’an recitation (tajweed) and halaqah (reading)
Company visits and career networking opportunities
With ample opportunities to socialise, network and develop yourself spiritually and professionally, MSA ‘Ibn Firnas’ aims to complement students’ academic university experience within the framework of our Islamic values, taken from the Qur’an and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
[Header image Edmundo Sáez; the Abbas Ibn Firnas bridge in Cordoba]
MSA ‘Ibn Firnas’
Type
International
Target audience
Bachelor/Master/PhD/PD Eng
Projects
Campus Jumu’ah Prayer
Prayer is an integral part of and one of the five pillars of Islam. To facilitate students in their prayers, we organise the weekly Friday prayer service at X (formerly Sports & Culture) on campus. The prayer sermon is conducted in English in order to be accessible to all, with topics chosen relevant for today’s students and Muslims in society. With well over a 100 attendees every week, this is also a great opportunity to socialise after the prayer and meet fellow students. The service, as with all our events, is open to everyone and anyone interested in Islam, regardless of faith or background.
Social Gatherings
With the academic rigour of university life keeping us all busy, our social events are a great opportunity to wind back, relax, and meet new people. Whether it be movie nights, paintballing, bowling, futsal or the quarterly Ibn Freelax gathering, we provide ample opportunities for members to socialise and widen their circles.
Ramadan
Ramadan is a month of significant spiritual and cultural importance to Muslims around the world. During this month, devotees abstain from food and drink from dawn till the iftar meal at sunset. Every year, during the last ten days of this month, we organise an iftar for students, our largest and most anticipated event annually! As this has grown in size in recent years, our responsibility to the wider community has also become more apparent, with the proceeds collected during this event going to charity. With the social and cultural aspect covered with the iftar, we also engage students spiritually during this month with quizzes, competitions and tonnes of beneficial content.
Free Qur’an Project
We distribute translations of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, for free throughout Europe
Arabic & Qur’an Classes
We offer classes in Modern Standard Arabic as well as tajwid, complemented with recitation halaqat
Company Visits
We help you build your career and network through visiting companies and networking eventsGroups
Committees
Our committees are the motors that keep MSA ‘Ibn Firnas’ alive and ensure all our events and activities are organised. Our Friday service and other prayer facilities, as well as outreach and theological content is handled by the Islamic Committee. Workshops, lectures, company visits and other academic ventures are managed by the Education Committee. The Recreation Committee is responsible for all the fun and social events, while the Public Relations & Acquisitions Committee deals with designs, creative content and promotion. Furthermore, our committees with specific roles include the Ramadan Committee and Sisters’ Committee.