Boko Haram’s actions are counter to Islam

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Originally published in Pittsburgh Gazette

Boko-Haram

As a Muslim, I was shocked to read that a so-called Muslim group in Nigeria, Boko Haram, which literally translates to “Western education [is a] sin,” recently committed the heinous act of abducting more than 200 schoolgirls in the Chibok region. Compare the group’s radical message to the actual teachings of Islam’s founder, the Prophet Muhammad, who said that a person should travel to the ends of the Earth to seek knowledge. He also told parents that educating their daughters would earn them paradise. Conversely, I believe that snatching away someone else’s daughters, and worse, threatening to sell them into a life of bondage, is a clear pathway to hell.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families. It also bleeds to see that, with the kidnapping of innocent children by Muslim extremists, the name of Islam has yet again been hijacked. It would not be a parody to state that the Boko Haram is itself “haram” (sinful).

About the author

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Sohail Husain

Dr. Sohail Husain serves as President of the Association of Ahmadi Muslim Scientists USA. He has also served in various leadership positions within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Assoication and the local community. At his day job, he serves as an Associate Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on investigating the molecular basis of pancreatitis, which is a painful, inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Dr. Husain considers the practice of writing as both a crucial professional engagement, as well as a powerful means of personal expression.

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