Some East Tennessee Muslims say they're saddened to hear of the latest string of violence in the Middle East.
UT's Muslim Student Association [MSA] said most Muslims know, violence is not condoned in their religion.
"I mean that's very clearly something that's not Islamic," said MSA President Omar Alsharif.
Some protesters in the Middle East said a controversial movie made in America that defames the Muslim prophet Mohammed fueled the attacks. Alsharif said while he does not support the protests, he also disapproved of any depiction of Mohammed.
"I wouldn't like that for the Christian faith or any other faith," he said. "I would still be offended if Jesus was spoken of in that way or any other prophet."
Students on UT's campus are also doing what they can to inform others of all that the Middle East region has to offer.
For the first year ever, students created a Middle Eastern Students Association [MESA].
"It's a region that is very rich in culture and language and history and art and film and science," said MESA founder Sara Hussein.
She told 10News she believes the beauty of the region often gets lost in the headlines of violence.
"We really wanted to bring awareness to different types of countries in the Middle East."
The student group meets every other Thursday on the UT campus.
"The purpose of the Middle Eastern Student Association is to create an interactive forum that organizes political and social events to atrophy stereotypes and serve as an accurate representation of the Middle East where members can explore the political, cultural, and social aspects of the region. UTK offers a most fitting environment for establishing a forum where those from the Middle East, those who are interested in learning about the region, and the vast international community may interact and learn. MESA will serve as a beacon of understanding which is integral in creating peace and instilling tolerance for one another, locally and globally. "