Dear UT Dallas Student Government Body,

The Muslim Student Association would like to thank you for thoughtfully considering our inquiry with regards to the construction of a designated wudu area near the reflection room. As you all are aware, The University of Texas at Dallas's Muslim population is vast and makes up a very significant portion of students on campus. The reflection room accommodates Muslim students’ needs for quiet, empty space needed to conduct our 5 daily prayers.

Preparation for prayer, called “wudu” is a process that requires washing various extremities of the body including arms, hands, face, and feet. Unfortunately this process tends to get messy. Water dripping on the floor and counter-top of the sinks is something that is hardly preventable even when placing towels around the area. This has been an inconvenience to copious entities, including Muslims, the housekeeping staff, and administration.

From an Islamic perspective, we are taught tidiness and elegance in everything we do. Using up a large sum of resources, like our towel supply; to barely dry the large, usual mess made is definitely an environmental issue, especially since a more efficient option is presentable. Furthermore, the amount of repetitive work the housekeeping staff is needed to do is inefficient. Not only is it inconvenient for the staff to focus most of their time on an area that seems to never dry up, but it is also inefficient to be dedicating a great work force to one area when other places that need attention could be focused on better if a wudu area were to be created.

Lastly, it has come to our attention that the hall which accommodates the reflection room hosts copious events that include visitors from off-campus. To put the university’s maintained reputation of excellence in all aspects of administration on the line is a breach to our identity as a community on campus. We strive to empower the pride UTD has in its diversity by bringing forth the best of what we have to offer. We strongly believe the construction of a designated wudu area will do wonders in terms of efficiency and even prestige. This effort could be a precedent to how universities across the country will deal with this issue, and that will only add to the plethora of things we are proud to lead in nationwide.

Thank you and Jazak'Allah Khayr (may God reward you with goodness)