Originally published in the Macomb Daily, Oakland Press, and the Daily Tribune As an American, I take many things for granted — freedom being the most important. As an Ahmadi Muslim, it is my duty to honor, respect, and be grateful to those veterans that have sacrificed so much so that I may enjoy the freedoms they protect. This is my duty because the Prophet Muhammad teaches Muslims that...
Originally Published in the Express Tribune Blog Though Malala survived the Taliban’s bullets last year, she is now again under attack in Pakistan by the very same ideology. They attacked her physically then, and now they are out to get her soul. Right-wing anchors and self-proclaimed intellectuals have taken to disrepute her book by claiming that it reeks of a...
Originally published in Liberty Magazine Religious blasphemy laws can be a touchy subject, especially in Pakistan, where just bringing up the subject of the blasphemy laws and whether they are right or wrong is considered, well …blasphemous. This wasn’t always the case. The sentiment behind most blasphemy laws is easy to understand. No person or group should insult another religion’s beliefs or...
Originally published in the Duluth News Tribune Since last month, America has gone through tumultuous ideological battles, testing its political resolve on both national and international fronts. First, America came back from the brink of unilaterally bombing Syria on renewed hopes that Syria will destroy its chemical arsenal under a U.N.- monitored process. Then, the new...
Originally published in the Duluth News Tribune Aug. 28 marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which earned him a stature exclusive only to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. All three men faced enormous challenges, but their faith, courage and sacrifices helped shape modern America by advancing the notion of basic human equality and universal freedom...
Originally published in the Huffington Post Who can decipher the mind of a terrorist? In the post 9/11 America, there is a dollar-spending, ink-spilling, competition between the government and the academia to answer this question. The faith of the terrorist in the above question is typically implied while the magnitude of the problem — less than 0.1 percent of the world’s Muslims have...
Star Local News Originally Published in Star Local News Guns don’t kill people, people kill people – but is this really an excuse for the heinous acts that strip away innocent lives year after year? The vast majority of us are law-abiding, responsible gun owners. However, there will always be a select few that jeopardize our rights. It is an unfair truth in life. Churches are being desecrated...
Originally published in Philly Enquirer The Boston bombings gave me a double whammy. As an American, I am deeply saddened by the deaths of three people and the dozens wounded. My heart goes out to the victims’ families. As a Muslim, though, I am disturbed by headlines saying Islam might have played a secondary role. Violence and evil has no religion. Boston bombings are as evil as the...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post It took 9,000 officers, five days, and roughly $1 billion in lost revenue for Boston, but suspect one is dead and suspect two is in custody. So let me start with the standard roll call: As an American Muslim, I condemn all violence in the name of religion. Terrorism has no religion and Islam is no exception. If the Tsarnaev brothers are guilty of the...
As a Muslim, I was pleased to see millions of Catholics rejoice upon learning of their new leader. I wish to congratulate Pope Francis on this office and hope for a brighter, more peaceful world of interfaith cooperation. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I relate with my fellow Catholics the happiness and purposefulness that comes with a central leading figure. For us, a Khalifa...