1 of 7
The president of Islam On Campus, Sohaib Ahmad, 23, gets a crowd of international students from the English Language Institute excited about the start of Islam Appreciation Month.
2 of 7
Students Reem Aboushaar (left), 20, and Maria Ilyas (right), 19, Islam On Campus members, handle the food table, featuring pita bread, hummus, and grape leaves.
3 of 7
Rania Saboungi, 18, along with a few other Islam On Campus members, draws henna on students who stop by, free of charge. Originally from Syria, Saboungi picked up the art of henna through practice at family parties before the holidays.
4 of 7
Anthropology major, Alexis Brown, 18, tries on a hijab for the first time at a photobooth in the Islamic Fair. Brown was referred to the fair by Huda Aziz, her friend and neighbor.
5 of 7
Sameer Saboungi, 20, starts a calligraphy piece. He is the designated calligraphy artist at the Islam Fair this year.
6 of 7
Alessandra Adorisio,19, puts the finishing touches on her tie-dye project. The station was set up as a free activity at the Islam Fair.
7 of 7
Islam on Campus members break for the Dhuhr prayer, one of five daily prayers practiced in Islam
Jan. 28 marked the beginning of the two-day Islam Fair, the first of several events during Islam Appreciation Month.
Hosted by the student-run organization Islam on Campus, the fair is meant to bring awareness and clarity of the religion. Members set up a Da'wah table — Da'wah meaning to teach about the faith — so people could have their questions answered and pick up a translated Qur'an.
Students were lined up around the tent all afternoon for other stations, including henna, calligraphy, tie-dye and a prize wheel. On the other side of the tent was the food station where guests could snack on hummus, grape leaves and pita bread. Also available was a photo booth where fairgoers could take photos wearing traditional Middle-Eastern clothing or wrap themselves with scarves. For some, like Alexis Brown, an 18-year-old UF anthropology freshman, it was their first time trying on a hijab.
Other events coming up in Islam Appreciation Month include the spring bonfire on Feb. 6 and Hijab Day on Feb. 12.