The Meditation Centre, or the multi-faith room, on the Mount Royal University campus is currently the only space designated for religious students to practise their faith.
The room is intended to be an inclusive area open to individuals of all religions and beliefs. The space is used mostly by Muslim students for prayer, relaxation and spiritual connection.
However, there have been concerns about whether the room meets the needs of every religion and faith represented on campus.
Mahdi Mir, president of Mount Royal’s Muslim Students’ Affiliation, has raised concerns about the lack of religious spaces and the issues the Muslim student body faces.
“With the increasing number of Muslim students at MRU, the current prayer facilities, specifically the multi-faith centre, are no longer sufficient,” Mir said. “It is not uncommon for the centre to reach full capacity, leaving students to pray on staircases or wait for space to become available.”
Muslims at Mount Royal typically perform two to three of their five daily prayers while on campus. Fitting prayers in during the sometimes limited time between classes can be difficult for many Muslim students, Mir said.
“Many have only a 10-minute break and must travel from other parts of campus, such as the library or the Bissett building, often encountering delays in finding available space,” Mir said.
The Multi-Faith and Spirituality Support centre is a resource that religious students can access on campus. However, most of the chaplains and religious leaders represent the Christian faith.
Tala Abu Hayyaneh, the President of the Representation Executive Council Council that belongs to the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU), said while the Meditation Centre has been a useful space, they also realize it has its challenges.
“The current meditation room has served as a multi-faith space for many years.” she said. “However, we are aware of ongoing concerns about its size and accessibility, particularly for Muslim students who require space for daily prayers.”
She said the SAMRU is actively working on these issues and concerns. This year, they have been advocating for an additional prayer and meditation room on the east side of campus.
Abu Hayyaneh says the SAMRU intended to, “Explore long-term solutions to enhance spiritual and religious spaces on campus and ensure they are inclusive and sufficient to meet the needs of our growing and diverse student population.”
She added, “We value the voices of students and encourage ongoing dialogue to ensure their needs are heard and prioritized.”