Originally Published in Beliefnet on July 1st, 2017 As an Ahmadi Muslim I can say, “Happy Independence Day America” and really mean it. My patriotic realization wasn’t something that happened suddenly, but was gradual with deliberate reservations. We grew up celebrating the 4th of July like everyone else in the neighborhood. It was the barbecue, homemade ice cream, fireworks, family get together...
Originally Published in Heartland Now on June 25th, 2017 The billboard on Indianapolis’ I-465 titled “The Perfect Man” which mocked and disparaged Prophet Muhammad, accusing him of rape, beheading, and several other allegations saddened me to the core as a practicing Muslim. The sight, however, did not surprise me because of the current wave of extremism rampant across the globe. With terrorists...
Originally Published in Sheboygan Press on May 25th, 2017 The barbaric attack against innocent people in Manchester is worth all the condemnation its getting. As an Ahmadi Muslim I would like to extend my condolences to all the affected families and the people of Manchester. It also pains me to see the arrival of the Holy month of Ramadhan defamed in this way by terror groups such as ISIS. It is...
When I share the message of Islam to Americans, they absolutely love it and are blown away. But when I tell them that it’s from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), they step back and force themselves to dislike it. Whenever I discuss the condition of Islam and its representation in the world today in my small West African country, The Gambia, we all agree that there is a lot of mess which...
As Published In Daily Times To the Times: Right now Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and prayer that began on May 27 and ends in late June. The national rhetoric concerning people who are Muslim has been heated and too often hateful. There is always a danger of stereotyping people, especially those we don’t know much about. In an effort to dispel...
Originally Published in The Ambler Gazette To the Editor: I had the opportunity to watch James Comey testify in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. After watching him I saw a man who was honest, straight-forward, and just. Despite all that has occurred in the last few months, he kept his cool and stuck to the facts, giving the committee all the information that he could give. This reminds...
Letter to the editor published on June 20th in the Orange County Register: Re: “Van veers into pedestrians outside mosque, 1 killed, 10 hurt” [News, June 17]: In the tragic Finsbury Mosque attack yesterday, the local Imam reportedly shielded the captured assailant from an angry mob until the police arrived, so he would not be harmed. In Portland last month, bystanders lost their lives coming to...
Published on The Tribune-Democrat website on June 17th, 2017: The shooting this week at a GOP congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, attests to the terrifying reality that no one, not even our highest elected officials, are safe from the disturbing growth of violent acts nationwide. What is particularly troubling is that the alleged assailant, James Hodgkinson, appears to have...
Just two weeks after a white supremacist went on an anti-Muslim tirade in Portland that ended with him stabbing three men in the neck, anti-Muslim hate rallies are being organized in over 25 cities across the country this Saturday, June 10th. All are organized by ACT for America, an organization designated as both a hate group and an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. At a time...
by Imran Tahir I was utterly shocked and horrified to hear about the truly sadistic suicide bombing in Manchester (U.K.) at the conclusion of a music concert attended by thousands of youth, most of them young girls. Terrorism in all its heinous forms — and especially depraved attacks targeting children — is a painful blight on our society, and needs to be eradicated completely through a...