Originally published in the Austin-American Statesman There is a distinct lack of tolerance in the world right now, as evidenced by the gruesome attacks committed in the name of Islam in France and their aftermath. It is unfortunate that the deprived and misguided youth are deluded into thinking they are doing a service for the religion when in reality they are doing a great disservice...
Originally published in The Trentonian As we celebrate Juneteenth amidst our current national crises, let’s revisit history. Despite slaves having been emancipated in 1865, many opposed their integration into society. Even in the North, African-Americans were systematically discriminated against through practices like redlining. On the other hand, we see a different historical example in how the...
Originally published in the Toledo Blade In Pakistan, my parents suffered the effects of legalized religious persecution. As Ahmadi Muslims, they were forbidden to preach, practice, or even profess their faith without potentially facing criminal charges by the state or vigilante punishment by extremists. My uncle was poisoned nearly to death and grandfather jailed several times simply because of...
Originally published in Financial Times Are we stuck in the civil war era of the 19th century? (“George Floyd and the story of the Two Americas”, FT View, June 3). The backlash of unrest on America’s city streets exposes two unresolved problems. The first is the immediate issue, which is an egregious absence, or at the very least, a massive delay of legal justice when it comes to felonies...
Originally published in The Minnesota Daily “Allah has made you brethren one to another, so be not divided. An Arab has no preference over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab; nor is a white one to be preferred to a dark one, nor a dark one to a white one.” These are some of the last words the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) of Islam bestowed upon his followers during his...
Originally published in Arizona Daily Star Professor Nicholas Damask of Scottsdale Community College received criticism this semester for asking certain questions on a quiz for his World Politics course. These included Who do terrorists strive to emulate? where his ‘correct answer’ was Mohammad, and Terrorism is [blank] in Islam” where the ‘correct answer’ was justified within the context...
Originally published in Austin American-Statesman With social distancing and work from home, it’s all too easy to get buried in the news coverage surrounding the coronavirus crisis. At the same time, there is a lot of need in our communities. Our food banks are under strain due to increased demand. Our blood banks are in need of life-saving donations. Our elderly and high-risk individuals would...
Originally published in East Bay Times Even though we are in the 21st century, racism and injustice still exist in the United States and other parts of the world. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I encourage our brothers and sisters in humanity to reflect on this day and ponder upon it on Martin Luther King Day. Over 13 centuries ago, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the same message that Dr...
Originally published in The Columbus Dispatch As an Ahmadi Muslim, I am certainly concerned with the escalation of violence and the absence of peaceful discussions regarding the current conflict with Iran. The Holy Quran states, ”… Let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness” (5:9). Additionally, in the case of a...
As a Muslim American, I wish my neighbors and the rest of America a very warm and happy holiday season. It’s a popular belief that Muslims are anti-Christian and that Christians are anti-Muslim. This notion is as bizarre as it is false. I admit, there are extremist elements on both sides of the aisle, but they don’t speak for the majority that pivots on pluralism. Perhaps there is a connection...