Originally published in Akron Beacon Journal The recent shooting at Chapel Hill, N.C., shows me, as an American Muslim, that whenever a tragedy happens unnecessarily to any person of any faith or way of life, we should pray for them and extend our condolences. The alleged shooter was an outspoken anti-theist. Craig Hicks’ Facebook page was filled with hatred toward religion. Although we hear that...
Originally published in The Michigan Daily
I’ve always felt safe in America. Granted, growing up as a Muslim American in the post-9/11 era poses its challenges, but I’ve always maintained the “it won’t be me” mentality. That is, until Tuesday evening. The news reported that three innocent Muslim students were brutally murdered in their home near Chapel Hill, N.C.
Muslim students. Just like me...
Originally published in The Houston Chronicle Regarding “Vigil honors 3 Muslim students shot to death in N. Carolina” (Page B1, Monday), what kind of resentment can cause someone to shoot 3 college students in the head as happened in the recent Chapel Hill shootings? Some say it was over a “parking dispute,” but the answer may lie in the growing Islamophobia in the...
Originally published in The Baltimore Sun Black History month is an important time to commemorate the accomplishments of blacks around the world; it is also a time to remember and address the unresolved issues in our society dealing with race. Last year highlighted several issues which, despite the successes of the Civil Rights movement, still plague our society. They include the disproportionate...
Originally published in The Eagle Fourteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, the wounds still run deep among the citizens of this country. Today, millions will mourn the 2,977 individuals who died and the many families affected. If we want to remember the people hurt by these barbaric acts, it is important we as a people take part in charitable acts to serve as tribute to all the...
Originally published in Dallas Morning News Fourteen years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, a tragedy shook the foundations of not only buildings, but of society worldwide. A generation has been raised in a decade of two wars and violent conflicts. Islamophobia has also affected innocent children and families across Western civilization. In the confusion regarding the tenants of Islam, a new movement took...
Originally published in USA Today The fatal shooting of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, N.C., last week prompted a debate about Islamophobia. Letter to the editor: I heard the tragic news of the senseless killing of Deah Barakat, Yusor Mohammad and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha in my neighborhood last week. My deepest condolences go out to the families of the deceased. Whether the motive behind...
Originally published in The Boston Globe MY HEART sank as I received dreadful news that three innocent Muslim students had been murdered by Craig Hicks, a vocal anti-theist. Being a Muslim, I suddenly began to question my safety from such a hate crime. Although the motive of the culprit is still unknown, it goes without saying that there is a rise in anti-Islam rhetoric in the US. For example...
Originally published in News & Record Both our Wolfpack and Tar Heel families mourn the tragic deaths of Deah Barakat, a dental student at UNC-Chapel Hill, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, and her sister Razan Abu-Salha, a sophomore at N.C. State. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I am deeply hurt by the loss of my brother and sisters in faith, and my prayers go out to their family and friends. As I looked out...
Originally published in The Baltimore Sun Recently, three Muslim youth were murdered in North Carolina by an extremist atheist (“Police investigate hate crime theory after 3 slain in N.C.,” Feb. 12). But I won’t ever read about this in the mainstream media due to a troubling double standard. Whenever a Muslim murders someone, the media immediately associates his faith, and all...