Originally Published in Dallas News By: Nayyar Ahmed Recently, pictures of French police ordering the removal of a burkini worn by a woman at a beach have gone viral on media. In a separate incident, a mosque construction in a Georgia county is facing strong opposition from locals. To add insight, the caliph of Islam Mirza Masroor Ahmad (fifth supreme head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim...
Originally published in Arizona Daily Star By Aamir Quraishy The 72 mass graves ISIS has left in its path are a terrifying sight to see. Even more terrible is hearing stories of survivors. The hearts, prayers and love of all Muslims and all humans go out to them. As a Muslim that loves the sanctity of American freedom and safety, it truly tears my hearts to see so many people around the world...
Originally published in Time ‘Wars cannot end terrorism, but personal sacrifice and education can’ This year, Eid ul Adha—Islam’s holiest holiday—falls just one day after the 15-year anniversary of 9/11. Perhaps serendipitous, just one day after the anniversary of when extremists violently took so much, the Eid of Sacrifice asks Muslims to reflect over all we’ve willingly given up in...
Originally published in The Columbus Dispatch By Abdul-Muizz Kamal-Muili ISIS gained relevance on the international scene in the last decade. Prior to this time, Saddam Husain, though admittedly an oppressive ruler, kept relative law and order. However the situation in Iraq changed after the western world invaded the country on flawed and over-exaggerated evidences of Iraq creating a nuclear...
Originally published in Muftah After intense international pressure, France’s highest court overturned the “Burkini” ban on Friday, August 26, 2016. Before the move, over a dozen French cities had banned the burkini. Most recently, armed officers forced a Muslim woman to dress down under threat of pepper spray and arrest, essentially criminalizing modesty. That this act of forced uncovering...
Originally published in The Davidsonian If any Church or other place of worship stands in need of protection, they will find us standing shoulder to shoulder with them.” (Message to Pope Benedict XVI, 6 December 2011) Who wrote this to Pope Benedict XVI? His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the spiritual successor or “Khalifa” in Arabic of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. His Holiness is the leader...
Originally published in The Mooresville Tribune Although most Muslims believe that defensive wars are permissible in Islam, this man realized that the only way to really defend Islam in this day and age is simply through dialogue and that this was the “Jihad of the age.” This man’s name is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian and he was recognized as the Messiah by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Many...
Originally published in The Beliefnet Roaming the streets of Istanbul during this past Thanksgiving break with my camera and tripod was a dream come true. As a photographer, I loved staring at the beautiful scenes of the cosmopolitan city and capturing every detail with my DSLR camera. As an Arabic calligrapher, I sat in a mosque entranced by the beautiful twisting of Arabic letters decorating...
Originally published in The Daily Times Barely over a year ago, the Taliban attacked a school in Peshawar and took 144 innocent lives, mostly children. And now, they have struck again. Once again, the target of their terror was harmless students. As peace activist and Pashtun hero Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s death anniversary was being commemorated at Bacha Khan University earlier this week...
Originally posted on the Longview News-Journal Another mass shooting in San Bernardino and far too many this year alone. Our sincere condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones and we wish the injured a speedy recovery. Although the perpetrators of mass shootings are of varied background, the actions of those with Muslim names are easily attributed to Islam, which condemns...