Originally Published in the Hartford Courant on March 9th 2017:
The same day President Donald Trump signed a revised executive order obstructing migrants from Muslim majority nations, our Ahmadiyya Muslim Community received the Spirit of Meriden Award at the city’s council meeting [March 7, news, “Trump Signs Revised Entry Ban”]. The difference was like night and day. Our progressive mayor and friend, Kevin Scarpati, along with Police Chief Jeffry Cossette honored our Baitul Aman House of Peace Mosque’s undying outreach, services and donations to the city.
We’re humbled and thankful for the mounting solidarity and support toward our true Islamic standards and return it with our very lives. We hope to elevate our bridge-building and educational strivings to actualize peace, justice and righteousness.
While the hubris of others incites destructive divisiveness, our communal healing of “love for all, hatred for none” is already conquering and transforming hearts. Rather than waking to the horrors of another imminent world war, let’s unite to ensure we rise to the miracle of collaboration and sanctifying one another.
Zahir Mannan, Meriden
The writer is education and outreach director for the Connecticut Chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
