Pakistan ambassador to America Sherry Rehman’s Twitter bio declares, “Will take a bullet for the motherland but hope our children don’t have to.” But what is an ambassador to do when that bullet comes from Pakistan and strikes her in the back? Last month, Pakistan took the unprecedented step and charged their own ambassador with blasphemy — a crime that carries the...
Originally published in Detroit Free Press Pope Benedict’s resignation came as a shock to the entire world. As a Muslim, I was taken aback when I heard the news. I remember the day that Pope John Paul II left his post to approach the heavens. I shed many tears that day. Now I look on with admiration to see a man resign the authority of the papacy for the betterment of his faith and his...
More than 30 years ago, when my parents enrolled me in St. Anthony’s, a Catholic school in Pakistan, our neighbors expressed a concern: Will my faith be at risk because of attending a Catholic school? But I experienced no conflict. I noted how the nuns wore a black head cover with a long dress — just like my mother. I observed how the priests were kind — just like my father. I...
Originally published in Duluth News Tribune Since 1976 the United States has celebrated February as Black History Month. We celebrate Black History Month to commemorate the efforts and perseverance of African-Americans in American society. In school we learned how blacks were forced to give up their seats and go to the backs of buses any time a white person boarded. However, 1,400 years ago...
Originally Appeared on the Rochester Hills Patch In order for someone to be a Muslim, he or she must recite the “kalma”, or pledge. “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” Of course there is so much more to being a Muslim than just reciting words. A Muslim must be pious, peaceful, loving, submissive to God, and a servant to Mankind. But rarely do we see these...
Originally published in The Huffington Post Sen. Mitch McConnell is guilty on both counts: What he believed to be news was a joke, and what he missed was the real news. It started on Nov. 12, when on The Duffle Blog, America’s John Stewart for the fake and funny military news made an Onion-style joke that the Obama administration was preparing to give the same GI Bill benefits, offered to...
Originally published in Hartford Although Muslims don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, millions of them across the globe do commemorate a sign of God’s love for the real Islam six days after. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community who believe in both Messiahs, Jesus and Ahmad, honor Yawm Al Musleh Ma’ud or the Promised Reformer Day on Feb 20. As was God’s way with some of His earlier blessed elects like...
As a child my mother used to narrate incidents from the life of the Prophet Muhammad. One of these was that of the Arab chief who was walking by the Prophet Muhammad while he affectionately played with his grandsons. The man told the Prophet that it was not customary for them to show affection to their children and boasted that in his own life he had never kissed any of his 10 children...
Originally published in The Courant This Muslim American was outraged to hear that the Iranian government sentenced Christian Pastor Saeed Abedini to prison for eight years merely for preaching Christianity. The Quran condemns this action. In a remarkable verse, it states that “there is no compulsion in matters of faith, because right is distinct from wrong (2:257).” If the Iranian...
Originally published on CNN Saeed Abedini, with his 4-year-old son, was sentenced to eight years in an Iranian prison. When will Iran’s government and clerics stop running from the truth that their religion – which they call Islam – would be unrecognizable to the Prophet Mohammed? On the mere allegation that American pastor Saeed Abedini...