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...
Originally published in New Haven Register “All is fair in love and war.” Sixteenth century English poet John Lyly’s famous proverb means that the rules of fairness don’t count under special circumstances. In more recent times, you might remember the famous line “by any means necessary” that Malcolm X used to describe his view on the civil rights movement. The...
Originally published in The Huffington Post In her recent piece, “7 Things That May Surprise You About Muhammad,” author Lesley Hazleton offers unique insights into Prophet Muhammad’s life. Giving credit where it is due, I’ve enjoyed Hazleton’s TED talk on Prophet Muhammad, and many of her writings on Islam. In fairness, however, several of her “7 Things”...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post and The Express Tribune Never go to a barber shop while you are still mulling over controversial news like, “Obama invokes gay rights in inaugural address.” Because your mind may sputter an even more controversial question like, “Why then we smother the discussion on the topic of first cousin marriages?” And if the question is...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post and The Washington Post Pakistan went through a Rosa Parks moment on Jan. 10 when twin bombings killed more than 100 members of the persecuted Shiite Muslim sect. The families refused to bury their kin. They protested — in subfreezing temperatures — by sitting next to the dead bodies for four days, demanding the ouster of the provincial...
Originally Published in The Finger Lakes Times I never got a chance to meet the Sandy Hook 20. But if I had, I’d ask about their favorite food, their goals, their views on the world, what makes them laugh, and if they were happy. I’d tell them that if Jesus met them, he’d remind them they belong to “the kingdom of God,” if Muhammad met them he’d hug them, if Buddha...
Originally Published in The Washington Post While many celebrated the winter holidays, news broke of the arrest in Saudi Arabia of liberal writer Turki Al Hamad for allegedly insulting Islam on Twitter. We also heard of another Saudi activist, Raif Badawi, who was arrested in June and will now continue with his trial, accused of apostasy for ridiculing Saudi Arabia’s religious police and making...
Originally Published in WashingtonPost.com & HuffiingtonPost.com Let me guess: A flu-like illness afflicted you or someone you know in the past two weeks. What else would you expect? CDC is now reportingwidespread Influenza (flu) activity in more than 41 states. Since the virus infects blacks and whites, gays and straight, Christians and Muslims — indiscriminately — it kills...
Originally on the CNN Belief BLOG (Repost Courtesy: CNN) Editor’s Note: Qasim Rashid is a national spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. Follow him on Twitter @MuslimIQ. By Qasim Rashid, Special to CNN (CNN)–My New Year’s resolution is to not die for my faith. I’d hoped that 2012 would bring a revolution among Muslims and Muslim-majority nations to free oppressed minds. Yet I find...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post and The Washington Post Every December, Muslim youth, parents and converts in the Western countries face a familiar dilemma: Why (or how) should they “celebrate” Christmas? On this issue, Muslim scholars are divided. Integrators like the British Cabinet Minister, Baroness Warsiadmonish immigrant Muslims to “celebrate Christmas...