As you’ve taken the time to join us for our Graduate & Alumni Formal, we wanted to share a brief snapshot of what we’ve been up to this year. This isn’t a full list, there’s far more happening behind the scenes, but here are the main focuses and initiatives we’re working on right now!
Our Main Aims and Projects
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A Community That Feels Like Home
Each year, we welcome hundreds of students into the ISoc family. This year alone:
Around 130 new undergraduate brothers and sisters joined our freshers’ events
Another 120 graduates connected through Grad socials, book clubs, and discussion circles
These aren’t just numbers ,they represent students who arrived at Oxford often knowing no one, and who now have regular companionship at Fajr breakfasts, Friday football, games nights, Qur’an circles, and dinners after talks. We’ve seen friendships formed in Freshers’ Week that continue well after graduation.
What we do:
Multiple weekly opportunites for people to socialise. (Friday Football, Fajr Breakfast, Sisters Sport)Regular one-off socials (Games night, pizza night, punting, Hot Ones, Bake Offs etc).
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Holistic Development: In Faith, Character, and Mindset
Our approach is simple: give every student multiple, authentic pathways to grow in their dīn, character, and understanding of the world. We connect students directly to grounded scholars and a living chain of knowledge, because learning through people far more transformative than learning from books alone.
Each programme below reaches a different audience and offers a different learning experience, ensuring that students can develop in ways that suit them best.
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A Commitment to Service
We want every student to graduate with a mindset of service — seeing their skills, privileges, and opportunities as gifts from Allah to be used for the good of others.
This year:
Through Charity Week and partnerships with unique charities like Human Aid & Advocacy, students raised over £40,000
Dozens of students attended talk with journalist from Gaza, grounding their activism in real stories and lived realities
Our Access Team supported hundreds of prospective students through the Access Conference, personal statement reviews, interview practice, and collaborations with programmes such as BeUniq and OppOx
Students volunteered in the local Oxford community, including helping at food banks and connecting with local organisations
These experiences shape a generation of Muslims who understand that serving others, with time, wealth, skills, or compassion, is central to their mission in life.
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Roots: Weekly Beginner-Friendly Islamic Studies
Roots welcomes 40–50 students every week, many of whom are learning Islam formally for the first time.
Sessions are interactive and discussion-based, mirroring the Oxford tutorial style rather than traditional lectures. This creates a comfortable, intellectually engaging space where students can explore their dīn confidently and at their own pace.
https://rootsacademy.co.uk/Impact:
Introduced dozens of students to structured Islamic study
Built students’ confidence in asking questions and engaging with tradition
Attracted a diverse group: freshers, grads, returners, and newcomers alike
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Foundations of Faith
Our three-year syllabus offers a termly half-day deep dive into essential Islamic knowledge — from how to pray, to Islamic history, to core beliefs.
These sessions draw 50–60 attendees, typically those who want a more structured and comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals.Impact:
Many students later enrolled in long-term courses at local institutes
Built a clear pathway for absolute beginners to become confident learners
Provided accessible, high-quality knowledge to students with busy schedules and those who can’t commit to weekly classes.
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Weekly Sessions with Shaykh Riyad Nadwi
A consistent space that connects students to a senior scholar deeply rooted in the classical tradition.
Here, students engage with timeless texts, receive spiritual guidance, and experience the character and wisdom that comes from a living chain of scholarship.Impact:
Strengthened students’ long-term spiritual routines
Provided grounding and mentorship from a trusted teacher
Drew students seeking deeper, more traditional study
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Student-Led Qur’an Circles
Small, intimate groups focused on recitation, reflection, and companionship. The weekly Qur’an circles attract students who grow best in peer-led environments where they can learn and reflect at their own pace.
Impact:
Helped students build regular Qur’an habits
Created close-knit spiritual friendships
Offered a low-pressure space for growth and consistency
These projects only happen with the support of people who believe in their impact.
If you’ve benefited from ISoc, or simply want to help build a strong Muslim community at Oxford, please consider donating.
Even small monthly contributions make a big difference to what we can offer.