Originally Published in Penn Live
As I reflect upon 2015, this Muslim-American praises President Obama for separating ISIL from Islam. Unlike some caustic contenders for the Oval office, Obama advised the nation to “enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate.”
My Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (www.alislam.org) has been at the forefront of the ideological battle against extremism. Whereas ISIL wishes to shed innocent blood, we encourage Muslim youth to donate blood, in fact at blood drives we host annually across America to honor the victims of 9/11 (www.muslimsforlife.org).
ISIL leaders chant a radical tune, while our spiritual Khalifa of Islam his Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (www.khalifaofislam.com) instructs the Quranic message embodied in our official motto: Love for All, Hatred for None. Our women also don a head scarf and our men a prayer cap. But what sets us miles apart from the likes of ISIL is our zeal to serve, not harm, our country. As we usher in 2016 and your final year as Commander in Chief, I thank you Mr. President for boldly stating that “ISIL does not speak for Islam.”
