Originally published in The Cleveland Plain Dealer Some reports from Trump and his surrogates point to a database that will include Muslims, even those who are U.S. citizens. If Trump decides to create such a database, he risks not only alienating Muslims in general but also innocent Americans who have no connection to extremism and are actually fighting the extremists elements. Developing this...
Originally Published in Beliefnet Last month, I heard hope, felt peace, and saw love. These emotions were quite contrary to what I had the morning after this year’s election. I remember feeling really confused and insecure about what the future held for me, a young Muslim living in America. About a month ago, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community here in Baltimore decided to have an...
Originally Published in Patheos Is anyone surprised that hate crimes have increased 31% in 2016? This year has been exceptionally revealing in terms of hidden, hateful sentiments. But hate based crime isn’t just an American issue. Unlike apple pie, hate based crime is on the rise globally as well. My religious community, The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, is especially familiar with violence...
Originally published in The Columbus Dispatch America’s election has come and gone, the result is known, but we all have to come together as a nation. No matter what our political affiliation is, America now has a President-elect; the best we can now do is find a way to heal and move America forward by building a strong government, and be being ambassadors of peace. We have recently...
Originally published in The Huffington Post On July 8, 2016, prominent American Muslim cleric Imam Omar Suleiman gave a brilliant speech at the Dallas Police memorial: My faith requires me to speak out against hatred and injustice of all sorts… (O God!) We stand before you, ready to stand up … against any oppression, in any name, for any cause, from any position, and against any of...
Originally published in The New Haven Register As we all know, the media is certainly capable of creating a societal misconception. Since 9/11, media across the globe has shown Islam as a radical religion and a global threat. Islam has been the focus of much scrutiny. After this attack, the term “Islamophobia” arose and exaggerated fear, hatred and hostility towards Islam and its followers...
Originally published in Beliefnet By: Mubarak Bashir As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, we are saddened by the unfortunate and untimely deaths of the victims of recent hate crimes. We pray for them and their families and hope that justice is served. Over the past few weeks we have seen an increase in hate crimes across the country. A man continually harassed his neighbors because...
Originally Published in The Northwestern Fifteen years. In a few days, it will be the 15-year anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, a painful day which has become the catalyst of so much that has transpired since then. Every day, every terrorist act, every shred of vile rhetoric, brings increased scrutiny to the faith of Islam and its teachings.As a Muslim living in the United States, I have become...
Originally published in The Nation Chief Minister,The Government of Punjab. Dear Mr. Shehbaz Sharif, I hope you are doing great. I promise to keep this short and to-the-point. A tweet from the Government of Punjab’s official Twitter handle caught my eye on Sunday. A statement, attributed to you, promised continued crackdown on anyone guilty of inflammatory hate speech. Hate speech and...
Originally published in Beliefnet My story with non-violence starts with my ancestors who joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Among what inspired my ancestors to join this community was the strong condemnation of violence in the name of Islam by the community’s founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Ahmad believed that unnecessary violence was not only prohibited in Islam but was a great misfortune for...