Muslim comedian Azhar Usman said he has grown accustomed to the odd glances he attracts when walking down the street.

"People are looking at me like I'm responsible for 9/11," Usman said last night to a crowd of about 200 at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. "Me? 9/11? No ... 7-Eleven, maybe."

Usman's act, part of his Allah Made Me Funny tour, kicked off Islam Awareness Week, which runs from yesterday to Thursday. Throughout the week, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) will hold events to educate and unite the Penn State community.

"Looking out, I see a lot of Muslims. It's supposed to be Islam Awareness Week ... evidently, the campus isn't aware," Usman said with a laugh.

Faheem Khaja, MSA's freshman representative, said he enjoyed Usman's routine because he could relate to the jokes about Muslim stereotypes, such as the tendency to be unpunctual.

"We can never be on time," Usman said. "If you're planning on going to Nittany events, look at the schedule and leave at least 30 minutes to spare."

Alina Barlas (freshman-liberal arts) said Usman's act was both entertaining and important.

"It allows others to become aware of the Muslim community and see that we're not all just strict, religious people who follow the books," she said. "We do know how to laugh and have a good time."

A lecture titled "The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him): A Mercy to Mankind" will be presented at 7:30 tonight in the Kern Building.

Muhammad Atiyat, an MSA public relations representative, said the event was prompted by the recent controversy surrounding cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

"Many people don't know who Prophet Muhammad really was. We would like to educate people about him so they get to know the service he has done for humanity and realize that he was not a preacher of violence, as the cartoons falsely illustrate," Atiyat said via an e-mail message.

On Saturday, MSA will offer tours of the Islamic Center of Central Pennsylvania, 709 Ridge Ave.

"We will be having an open house to introduce people to certain aspects of Islam and to show them what the [mosque] looks like," Atiyat said.

Heather Barton, an MSA public relations representative, said Islam Awareness Week was planned to coincide with "Islam and Bioethics: Concerns, challenges and responses," a two-day conference that begins Monday at the Nittany Lion Inn.

"Issues of bioethics are things that affect us directly every day. Different Muslim countries have very different attitudes toward medical advancements such as organ transplants, which we take for granted in the United States," Jonathan Brockopp, conference organizer, said. "There are severe moral questions and important ethical implications."

Islam Awareness Week will conclude on Thursday with "Islamic Art and Architecture," a lecture presented by MSA Treasurer Omer Sensoy.

"Some really amazing architecture has been done in the empire, but it is passed over a lot, even in art education," Barton said. "Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, and people should know as much about it as they do Christianity and Judaism."

Atiyat said Islam Awareness Week is important because it allows Muslims and non-Muslims to interact on a personal level.

"How can we ever achieve a state of world peace if we don't even know who and what our neighbors, colleagues and fellow citizens of the world are all about?" Atiyat said. "The more we learn, the more understanding we have, the more tolerance we have for each other, the lesser our ignorance becomes, and the closer we become to achieving world peace."