World peace is at stake because of two extreme, fanatic ideologies (“2 Killed Outside Muhammad Cartoon Contest,” May 4). One group of people want to satisfy their hatred and prejudice by mocking the Prophet Muhammad by making, publishing and organizing competitions to create humiliating caricatures under the garb of freedom of expression while the second group wants to avenge this with the...
Garland shooting
The shooting outside an event in Garland where people were asked to draw cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad should be condemned by all. Islam does not condone any punishment for blasphemy. In fact, during the Prophet Muhammad’s life, people hurled all kinds of abuse at him; yet he bore it with patience and forgave them all. Those who act against the Prophet’s own example obviously have no respect...
Violence in the name of Muhammed is wrong
Yet another horrific incident of violence occurred in Garland, Texas last Sunday when two gunmen opened fire outside an event hosted by an anti-Islamic group (“Texas gunman was known to FBI,” May 5). As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I strongly condemn these acts of terror conducted by these two gunmen. If they believe they did this to defend the honor of the Prophet...
Alcohol–Mother of all Evils
Originally published in Patheos America has many famous pastimes from such as baseball, football, and basketball to outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, and camping. All of these play a part in American culture, bringing a healthy spirit of friendly competition, camaraderie, or physical activity. However there are American pastimes that are not so healthy and contribute little or...
Protect religious minorities, Islam has never permitted violence
Along with 200 other delegates of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, I went to Capitol Hill to gain Congress’ support for the “Protecting Religious Minorities Persecuted by ISIS Act of 2015” (H.R.1568) on Friday. Today, I find myself again advocating against the unjustifiable and un-islamic actions carried out by extremists at a “free speech” event in Texas. Yes, I do mean...
Fighting Arguments With Arguments, Not Violence
Usama Dakdok is no Pamela Geller but he creates an equally ravenous appetite for anti-Islamic hatred. His Islamophobic rants spare no comments to disrespect Prophet Muhammad and Islam in general. His opinion is heard by anyone who would like to perpetuate hatred towards Islam within their community. Neither him nor his ilk, like Pamela Geller, are ever deserving of violence though. Their free...
What Is the Proper Islamic Response to Islamophobia?
American extremists returned to media coverage this week by descending on Garland. They wasted no time from their last plots of creating disorder, targeting major American cities like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Each attack on American minds went through without failure. Of course, this is a reference to the Islamophobes who came to Texas to hold a contest about drawing...
Prophet Would Counsel Patience
As an American Muslim, I fully condemn the actions of the extremists who opened fire at the “Draw Muhammad” cartoon event hosted by an anti-Muslim hate group. Although Prophet Muhammad holds a special place in the hearts of all Muslims, it goes against the core of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings to respond with violence. When Prophet Muhammad himself was humiliated, he never responded with violence...
Islam being hijacked by extremists
I was angered to hear about the cowardly attack that occurred in Garland, Texas. I say cowardly because the peaceful religion of Islam was used for the justification of this heinous act. I say angered because I am tired of my religion being hijacked by extremists. Though I may not agree with the American Freedom Defense Initiative, violence towards them is not the answer. The Quran not only...
Plenty of blame for all in event and shootout
I was very troubled to hear the news of a shooting outside the Muhammad Drawing Contest event hosted by Pamela Gellar’s anti-Islam group. I am disturbed with the actions of the gunmen and also by the organizer of the contest. As a Muslim, the proper response to such a distasteful contest is not violence — Islam means peace, and Muslims must practice it that way. True Muslims have to...