As an Ahmadi Muslim youth, I wholeheartedly condemn the attack in Garland, for violence has no place in Islam. At the same time, I condemn the disrespectful cartoon drawings of the Prophet Muhammad showed at this event, for hate has no place in civilized society. Islam has never permitted violence in response to blasphemy. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, noted:...
Analysts and researchers have recently begun to study “sacred values” that are basically deeply-rooted ethical or moral precepts that we hold dear regardless of whether they are political, religious or personal. When these values are provoked, even offering incentives to compromise over them is likely to backfire as the victim views an enticement as an affront. The sacred value will...
World peace is at stake because of two extreme, fanatic ideologies (“2 Killed Outside Muhammad Cartoon Contest,” May 4). One group of people want to satisfy their hatred and prejudice by mocking the Prophet Muhammad by making, publishing and organizing competitions to create humiliating caricatures under the garb of freedom of expression while the second group wants to avenge this with the...
Yet another horrific incident of violence occurred in Garland, Texas last Sunday when two gunmen opened fire outside an event hosted by an anti-Islamic group (“Texas gunman was known to FBI,” May 5). As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I strongly condemn these acts of terror conducted by these two gunmen. If they believe they did this to defend the honor of the Prophet...
Usama Dakdok is no Pamela Geller but he creates an equally ravenous appetite for anti-Islamic hatred. His Islamophobic rants spare no comments to disrespect Prophet Muhammad and Islam in general. His opinion is heard by anyone who would like to perpetuate hatred towards Islam within their community. Neither him nor his ilk, like Pamela Geller, are ever deserving of violence though. Their free...
American extremists returned to media coverage this week by descending on Garland. They wasted no time from their last plots of creating disorder, targeting major American cities like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Each attack on American minds went through without failure. Of course, this is a reference to the Islamophobes who came to Texas to hold a contest about drawing...
As an American Muslim, I fully condemn the actions of the extremists who opened fire at the “Draw Muhammad” cartoon event hosted by an anti-Muslim hate group. Although Prophet Muhammad holds a special place in the hearts of all Muslims, it goes against the core of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings to respond with violence. When Prophet Muhammad himself was humiliated, he never responded with violence...
I was angered to hear about the cowardly attack that occurred in Garland, Texas. I say cowardly because the peaceful religion of Islam was used for the justification of this heinous act. I say angered because I am tired of my religion being hijacked by extremists. Though I may not agree with the American Freedom Defense Initiative, violence towards them is not the answer. The Quran not only...
Originally published in the Pak Tea House Given the sensitive subject of this article, let me begin with a brief introduction of myself. The reader may appreciate knowing ahead that I am an Ahmadi-Muslim. I was born in Pakistan to a family with some Ahmadis but mostly Sunni-orthodox. I have lived and worked in Pakistan for many years. Currently, I reside in the United States of America. Today, I...
Originally published in Huffington Post “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship. That has nothing to do with business of state.” Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, spoke these words on the eve of the end of British rule over India. Despite these words, his country has fell to painful depths at the...