What is Campusalam?

Campusalam is a vehicle and a platform to promote debate, discussion and dialogue on campuses particularly regarding matters of faith.

Campusalam includes an online resource and a dynamic network support structure for students working for their vision of change, through critical discussion and positive activism.

Campusalam is not a campaigning organisation, or a single-issue charity. It is a vision that aims for the things we value, such as integrity, respect, peace, and justice. It is an approach - a range of skills with a particular style, for example, in managing conflict. It is the opportunity - the skills & information resource and the social network - that you can use to achieve your unique aims and vision.

What is the purpose of Campusalam?

Campusalam aims to foster open discussion on topical Islamic issues and equip Muslims students and staff with the tools to engage with others, and empower student bodies and groups to manage and lead on-campus activities.

It also provides solution-directed advice on how to solve problems encountered institutionally or individually in higher education.

What are your goals?

Campusalam aims to create an intellectual forum and network - to nurture debate, discussion and dialogue among Muslim and non-Muslim students. It is totally independent and un-affiliated. 

Campusalam seeks to build bridges of understanding on controversial matters of faith, society and politics through constructive and informed events set within a hostility-free environment that is enriching and interactive. 

It is through constructive debate that Campusalam seeks to represent a plurality of voices on issues that affect us all. Our basic belief is that it students are inspired to bring about positive change through intellectually stimulating discussion and skill-building.

Who is behind Campusalam?

Campusalam is one project of the Lokahi Foundation, an inter-faith research foundation, which specialises in applying contemporary academic expertise on religions into practical projects and solutions. 

'Lokahi' is a Hawaiian word which stands for 'harmony through diversity' - different people being able to come together to work in unity. Lokahi was begun in 2005 by a group of academics, including Gwen Griffith-Dickson and Tariq Ramadan. The vision was to bring together people from different religions and traditions and areas of expertise to think together on complex issues. It bridges academic research and grass-roots, practical projects. 

Lokahi has intellectual property rights on all research and project content and is the sole 'decision maker' on content approach and values. 

How is Campusalam funded?

Since its inception in 2007, Campusalam has applied for and received funding from charitable foundations and government departments, including grants through the Prevent Strategy. The Foundation has maintained full control over project objectives and website content in accordance with its core values of integrity, independence and intellectual rigour. All funding has been used to help achieve our primary aim: to support Muslim students and Islamic societies with resources and skills to take the lead in critical discussion and productive action on issues of faith and society that affect them.

As of 1 April 2010, Campusalam is not being funded by any external source. Lokahi’s trustees have agreed to financially support Campusalam while we seek funding from philanthropic sources.

What does Campusalam offer?

• A web-based resource, with information on problem-solving, people skills and bridge-building on campuses, and also, a broad range of information on Islamic intellectual history and controversial issues.
• Seminars, debates and events-organising, to foster debate on matters of interest to Muslims and non-Muslims.
• An online social network, forum and community.
• Tools to empower individuals with the techniques and skills to engage effectively with each other on challenging matters (e.g. the skills needed to run successful meetings and events, how to challenge others in a constructive manner and how to de-escalate difficult situations if they arise).
• Specific advice on dealing with a number of scenarios that staff and students may encounter on campus including pursuing requests for prayer rooms, halal food, and advice on intolerance and extremism.   

What gives Campusalam the expertise to speak about Islam?

Campusalam does not endorse any particular ideology nor does it intend to speak on behalf of Muslims.

Academics and scholars wrote the content of the Resources section, aiming for balance and representation of a wide range of religious opinion. As a project of the Lokahi Foundation, its origins are from an intellectually rigorous approach to research. 

Many different people have had a hand in drafting material for the Campusalam website, or in reading and revising it. From within the spectrum of Muslim opinion, they includes people from both Sunni and Shia traditions, all the major madhahib, and diverse traditions such as Sufi, Barelvi, Deobandi, and Salafi. We seek to provide a balanced perspective on the questions we answer. The material does not derive from a single scholar and we have not sought public endorsement from any particular scholar, to ensure a breadth of opinion.

How is Campusalam different to FOSIS?

FOSIS (Federation of Student Islamic Societies) is a national organisation that caters to the needs of Muslim students spiritually, socially, politically, and through representing the Muslim student and Islamic Societies on Campus (ISOCs) on a national scale, making it safe and possible to practice Islam on campus.

Campusalam provides information, training and tools for students, staff and student groups on campuses to engage in open discussion and active citizenship, serving as a resource for FOSIS, ISOCs and others to use as appropriate.