Originally published in Los Angeles Sentinel on February 27th, 2019 For me as an Ahmadi Muslim, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the beautiful origins of my faith, Islam. Among the first Muslim converts was an Abyssian slave named Bilal, who was befriended and then liberated by the holy prophet Muhammad. Bilal was a very pious and wise companion, and he was blessed with a deep...
For many years critics have portrayed the Qur’an in a negative light. They’ve dubbed its verses as violent, barbaric, and backwards. Some view it as a fabrication of the Prophet Muhammad, and as an antithesis to Western civilization. Perhaps they’d prefer it never existed. Interestingly, millions of Muslims throughout history — of all walks of life, backgrounds, and nations — have viewed it...
Originally Published in TribLive on February 28th, 2018 The Associated Press confirms mass graves of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. These are innocent people being murdered in the name of religion, who have no ability to defend themselves against the relentless onslaught. Where is the United Nations when you need it? The United States led a unilateral attack against Iraq in 2003 to defeat a...
Originally Published in the Washington Observer on December 9th, 2017 For decades the Israel-Palestine question has a been a divisive issue that sometimes seems impossible to solve. Many U.S. presidents have attempted to broker peace agreements between the two sides with limited progress. Progress on the issue has been at a standstill for many years and with President Trump’s announcement to...
Originally Published in the Sky Valley Chronicle on March 4th, 2018 America needs to change the way we respond to tragedy and increase our dialogue. We have become far too cynical and it has become a roadblock to any type of progress. There was a strong reaction last week when National Rifle Association spokesperson Dana Loesch commented at the conservative CPAC conference saying, “many in legacy...
by Naseer Syed Originally Published in The Star Press on March 3rd, 2018 Seventeen kids were murdered at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Three days later, less than 50 miles away at a gun show, hundreds thought buying more weapons was the appropriate response. Give it another week or two, and we’ll have brushed off the frenzy of activism that accompanies mass atrocities in our country. The...
Originally Published in The Caludron Many Americans feel that our country faces an existential threat from Muslims and the entire religion of Islam. A hard look at historical data will provide us with a different story. As a Muslim-American, I am inclined to believe that Islam is not a problem for Americans, but can actually provide a solution when it comes to one of the most difficult and...
Originally Published in Pittsburgh Post Gazette on February 26th, 2018 The school shooting in Parkland, Fla., should sound a panic alarm for lawmakers to prioritize a probe into the underlying basis for the surge in teen violence. The 800-pound gorilla may well be the ease of access to heavy-duty firearms. But we should also pull our heads out of the sand when it comes to the rampant problems...
Originally Published in Patheos on February 26th, 2018 The Florida shooting is yet another deadly attack on our nation. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I sympathize with the victims and their family members and offer them a sincere condolence. The worsening disconnect between the needs of the nation and the left and right factions of our country has prevented any real solution from being implemented...
Originally Published in Patheos on February 26th, 2018 There was an article recently by a friend on how a representative of the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) supported a hate rally in Virginia recently; a reader commented that American Muslims need a better mainstream representative. The problem is that despite most American Muslims being good people, there’s no real unity between...