Originally Published in Patheos on June 2nd, 2017 Yesterday, I attended a seminar by Professor Mahzarin Banaji of Harvard University on the topic of unconscious bias. It was an incredibly mind-opening seminar that brought many biases I hold to the surface. But it also enabled me, in a way, to see the biases that other people hold, specifically towards the Muslim community. Last week, 22 people...
Originally Published in Sentinel & Enterprise Hundreds of tombstones were vandalized in a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia over the weekend. Hearing about this was both shocking and upsetting. As a Muslim American, I condemn this cowardly act and pray that the culprits be brought to justice. With the wave of bomb threats to Jewish centers and this recent horrific act, we will stand by our...
Originally published in Beliefnet The city of brotherly love is rich in cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity. The incidence on January 7th of a mentally ill individual firing at and injuring one of Philadelphia’s finest was appalling. Such a deplorable act warrants condemnation no matter which religion the suspect belongs to. After this incidence Mayor Jim Kenney demonstrated a model of true...
On the night of Friday November 13th, following the brutal attacks in Paris, an unknown individual fired shots at a mosque in Meriden, CT. The mosque belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and our motto “Love for All, Hatred for None” is inscribed on a sign outside. Luckily, no one was present and only the building sustained damage. It is nevertheless disturbing to hear of such a...
Originally posted on The Boston Herald If Daesh (or the Islamic State) is at war, why doesn’t it follow the rules of war set forth by the Prophet Muhammad (“Crowds slaughtered in French terror attacks,” Nov. 14)? Among other things, Muhammad’s guidance for the battlefield included: “Do not commit treachery, or deviate from the right path. …Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man...
Originally posted on Telegram On November 13, simultaneous attacks on six different locations in Paris left at least 129 people dead and hundreds wounded. France has been the recipient of numerous attacks this year, beginning with the horrific attack on Charie Hebdo newspaper, which left 12 dead including a security officer by the name of Ahmed. While the perpetrators claim to have acted in the...
Originally published in Worcester Telegram The Syrian crisis is worsening. With around 4 million Syrian refugees and 8 million internally displaced, our fellow human beings are in need of dire support. More than 100,000 Syrian civilians have lost their lives during this crisis. The recent heart-wrenching picture of toddler Aylan Kurdi has come to symbolize this great loss. Syrian refugees...