Originally Appeared on The Huffington Post With the partition of the Indian subcontinent, the Dominion of Pakistan came into existence on Aug. 14, 1947. The valiant and astute Muhammad Ali Jinnah led the minority Muslim community of United India to the fulfillment of its dream for a separate homeland. The basis for the very demand of independence was the upholding of the freedom of religion...
IF YOU know a Muslim, you are sure to have heard about Ramadan and the tradition of fasting in Islam. Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar, and it began Aug. 1 in the United States. Millions of Muslims across the country and many more across the world will spend the month fasting. Even though it is singular in its details, the practice of fasting as a form of spiritual...
Originally Published in The Finger Lakes Times One of the world’s greatest scientists, Albert Einstein was asked to opine on various fields of knowledge – including God. Einstein considered himself a strict determinist, meaning he believed God created the universe but that God did not answer prayers or intervene in human affairs. Einstein’s views resulted from his own remarkable scientific...
Originally Published in The Asbury Park Press While recently visiting Pakistan, I offered Friday prayers at one of the two mosques in Lahore where, in May 2010, the Taliban brutally murdered 86 of our community members. On noticing the extent of security at the mosque, I could not stop thinking of the religious freedom I enjoy in my new homeland, and could not thank God enough for now being an...
Originally Published in The Columbus Dispatch Osama bin Laden’s death provided relief to many, especially Americans and Muslim-Americans such as myself. President Barack Obama made it clear that bin Laden was not a Muslim leader, but a mass murderer. The possibility of radicals mimicking bin Laden’s actions still exists, and that is precisely why Americans must embrace those who are dedicated to...
On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of appearing as a guest on “The O’Reilly Factor” to address accusations Ms. Wafa Sultan had levied against Islam on “The Factor” one day earlier. (Video at the bottom of this post.) Ms. Sultan commented on Muammar Qaddafi’s henchmen abducting and raping a Libyan woman. In her commentary, Ms. Sultan made the mistake of conflating...
Originally Published in the Hopkins Halaqa Islam is under attack daily every time you flip the channel. The words “Muslim Extremist” and “Jihadist” are being thrown around like everyday words. For instance, what does the phrase “Muslim extremist” really imply? One is inclined to think that those who diligently follow the teachings of Islam are those that perpetrate the bombings and killings of...
Originally Published in The New York Times Germany’s new interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, stated this week that Islam “does not belong” in Germany. He continued saying that immigrants should be aware of their host country’s “Christian origins.” By accusing Muslims of lacking knowledge of Germany’s “Christian origins,” the minister has chosen to disregard his own country’s basic laws of...
Originally Published in The Finger Lakes Times Last month, we ended a discussion about the philosophy of divine punishment with reference to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) victory over Pharaoh. The “splitting of the sea” was referenced and deserved its own discussion, to which we now turn. Before analyzing the specific events surrounding the “splitting of the sea,” the reader must understand...
Originally Published in The Santa Clarita Valley Signal The insane and cold-blooded attack murdering 21 innocent Christians at a church in Alexandria, Egypt is a horrific beginning to 2011. As an American Muslim, this attack is completely nonsensical, in addition to being utterly disgusting and sickening. The Quran: specifically sanctions Muslims to protect churches, not to blow them up...