Stuyvesant’s Muslim Student Association Achieves First in MIST Regionals

Stuyvesant’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) competition team, Salaam-Al Stuy, placed first at the New York regional Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST) on April 4 and 5, securing its fourth consecutive championship title in the states level.

MIST is an annual competition between MSAs from across the country and Toronto, where teams compete in various categories. “The competition includes Islamic categories, such as Knowledge Tests, Quran, and Nasheed/Rap, as well as other competitions such as Art, Improv, Science Fair, and Sports,” junior and MSA Social Media Manager Sakina Raza said. The competition is centered on a specific theme every year, the 2026 theme being “Currents of Consequences: The Might of Small Deeds,” signifying the message that small actions can impact events on a large scale.

Stuy MSA began tryouts for its competition team in December 2025 due to a 65-person team limit. “This year, the club had an overwhelming number of new members […] I would say a big thing this year is we had a lot of first timers,” senior and Stuy MSA president Hifza Kaleem said. “We had more to build off for a lot of group competitions.” The tryout process allowed the club to distinguish the best candidates for each category, helping the team build a stronger foundation for the tournament.

Following Regents Week in January, Stuy MSA dedicated all its weekly meetings to MIST preparation. Kaleem describes the intensive rehearsals and the commitment required from every member. “For example, there’s a singing competition for both girls and guys separate[ly], so sometimes, I would sit in with them and listen to them practice,” Kaleem said. By the end of March, the MSA held mandatory meetings to ensure the entire team was unified.

During preparations, the team worked to maintain unity while navigating traditional structures within the club. “In Islamic competitions and MSA, we do have division between the guys and girls. There is some gender separation,” Kaleem said. “So navigating that and being like a unified team while also having specific communication within the girls and communication within the guys was interesting.” 

Members also highlighted the issue of managing time to prepare for MIST. “MIST has early submissions for certain competitions and those are due the day after Eid,” Kaleem said. “So most of the team was out celebrating after fasting for a whole month, but they still had to do that.”

Despite all of this, the team also found support from other schools, which fostered a sense of community among them and reduced the likelihood of toxic competition. “You’re in a room with a bunch of people you don’t know, yet everyone’s smiling and talking,” sophomore member Raisha Tayba said. “It’s competitive, but it doesn’t feel toxic in a sense. I remember when I was preparing for my interview for social media, kids from other schools came up to me and [told me] ‘you got this’ and some of the questions they asked.”

During the competition, the team debuted a new chant for the Spirit Category, where schools compete for the loudest and most enthusiastic performance. “This year, one of our board members actually came up with a new chant, and I think it was great,” Kaleem said.

The chant was even the highlight of some members’ experiences in the competition. “We were able to scream and yell and chant, which was really nice because you get to be with the whole team,” Tayba said. “That was the most memorable part of that day.”

Other members noted the bonds formed with their teammates. Because MIST lasts two consecutive days from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the competition requires a significant time commitment. “I was talking to juniors and sophomores who I obviously don’t see that often because our classes or paths just don’t overlap,” Kaleem said. “So I think that’s something I really appreciate, just getting to talk to new people or connect with people you’ve spoken to very briefly before.” This sense of connection was strengthened by a vibrant team spirit, as members constantly looked out for one another throughout the tournament.

Some members felt stressed or scared during preparation, but those feelings dissipated because of their strong bonds with and support from other members. “For me, it felt stressful leading up to MIST because I was part of social media, and we had to get [content] out every week,” Tayba said. “But [the members are] all really supportive. Hifza, for example, our captain, […] would pop up in the social media group chat and make sure things were running properly.”

Nevertheless, members believed that their team had won due to the persistence in preparation for MIST. “I think the reason we won is due to the dedication of our team, because most people who placed first are very dedicated to the things they do,” junior and MSA Social Media Manager Nushrat Jahan said. “For example, we had people in extemporaneous speaking place first and they also do extemp in school, and we had other people in logic and algorithms who were very passionate about what they do and took the time and effort to work on it.”

Ultimately, Stuy MIST expressed their shock toward their winning streak. “So part of me was like, we have a very new team and there are so many talented teams across New York; it’s going to be hard,” Kaleem said, “And then my other thought was, how are we going to win four years in a row? That just doesn’t seem very possible.”

Nevertheless, members were excited and celebrated their victory. “We took a lot of pictures after, that’s typical […] A lot of it is just a lot of screaming, jumping for joy, taking pictures after,” Kaleem said.

For those who competed for the first time this year, the experience was incredibly memorable and special. “I [will] definitely do MIST again if I get in next year because being [with] people who have the same religion and background as me is really fun,” Tayba said. “In my classes, there aren’t many brown or Muslim people, so it’s really nice to be part of a group of people similar to me.”

MSA members reflected on their time on Salaam-Al Stuy. “I mean, you know, being a part of this winning streak, it has just meant a lot for me because it has shown how much our MSA has grown,” Kaleem said.

Ultimately, MIST, after all of the competition and preparation, proved memorable for more than just the seniors. Many underclassmen gained unforgettable experiences during the tournament, stirring up enthusiasm and excitement for the years to come. “[The team] felt like a big family,” Tayba said. “I think the best part [about MIST] is that everyone is just so welcoming and incredibly supportive.”