Originally published in Santa Barbara Independent The atmosphere feels a bit different at 3:50 a.m. Hot summer days are suddenly cooled by the solitude this time of the night creates. Not only are many people at this hour awakening from a drunken stupor, but during the month of Ramadan, 1.3 billion Muslims in the world are awakening to pray and eat before their fast. Muslims throughout the...
Originally published in The Oshkosh Northwestern Starting July 10, as the Islamic month of Ramadan rolls around, I know I will get questions like “So how long do you have to go without food?” or “Do you have to fast if you are sick or young?” but it is the “I can’t eat or drink anything, not even water” comment that usually gets the most...
Originally published in Journal Inquirer This Muslim-American was appalled to read that Buddhist monks in Burma led by Ashin Wirathu, a priest who calls himself “the Burmese bin Laden,” are bent on exterminating the Rohingya ethnic minority explicitly because they are Muslims. It is well-known that the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, was a peacemaker. Little known, though, is that...
Originally published in Santa Barbara Independent It is difficult to believe that September 11, 2001 was some twelve years ago. It really did seem like another seemingly innocent day in September. A light blue sky conspicuously cloaked the horrors in a New York City skyline. I remember I was in sixth grade at May Grisham Elementary in Santa Maria. It was early in the morning and my...
Originally published in The Express Tribune Teacher to Akram and Aslam: You both failed the test because you were late for class. Why were you late? Akram: Sir, I was busy looking for my atthani which I lost on my way to school today. Teacher: What is your reason Aslam? Aslam: (Sheepishly): Sorry sir, but I was standing on top of his atthani, hiding it. Reading such knock-knock jokes on the last...
Originally published in Santa Clarita Valley Signal I just returned from spending a week in Moore, Okla., helping the victims of the tornado get back on their feet. I also helped raise money to replace a broken cross-headstone for a Christian widow so that her children could have something by which to remember their father. Each day, I saw countless “I love Jesus” signs, as...
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 Akron Beacon Journal If the Quran says that Muslims are “raised for the good of mankind,” then how are Muslims benefiting the society around them? I cannot speak for the 2.2 billion Muslims throughout the world, but I can tell you that the community I belong to, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, has a 125-year track record of being a peaceful and service-oriented...
Originally published in Cincinnati Enquirer Last year, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy left Americans in great distress as New York City, one of the world’s largest cities, suffered greatly. This gave me an opportunity to travel to the disaster site and offer my aid to those in need. More importantly, being a Muslim American, I was able to show the true Islam – to serve humanity as a part of our...
Originally published in Appleton Post-Crescent As a Muslim-American, I feel it is our obligation to help those in need and take care of our communities. Places like Oklahoma, because of their recent tornado-related disasters, are in need of immediate service from anyone able to assist. A basic tenet of Islam and the good example of Prophet Muhammad is service to humanity. Following this...