Originally Published on The Orlando Sentinel Regarding the article “Lake man’s effort against textbook with ‘Muslim civilizations’ chapter raises security concerns,” OrlandoSentinel.com, Nov. 6: The hue and cry of the conservatives on this issue is rife with contradictions. The lack of awareness about Islam has led to unnecessary fears and fuels skepticism. Any...
Originally published in Santa Barbara Independent “Prayer is better than sleep.” At 4:30 a.m., these words echoed through a hall packed with 1,240 Muslim youth during the call to prayer. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organization, known as Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya (MKA), brought together Muslim youth across the United States for its annual conference. With activities from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., the...
Originally published in Indiana Gazette It is July, and, as most of the nation enjoys summer, the Muslim world is enthralled in the spirit of sacrifice and humility as it passes through the holy month of Ramadhan. In Ramadhan Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The spiritual and mental benefits of fasting are evident, but many are misled to believe that fasting deprives the body of health...
Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor We have seen the pictures of the Tsarnaev brothers. We know their names, and we are learning facts about their lives – one a boxer, and the other a student. But we still don’t really know their identity. And neither did the brothers, as they allegedly planted those bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon last week. Or at least, that’s...
Originally Published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette My heart goes out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. It is outrageous that in our country today that even the wholesome act of running has become unsafe. I can empathize because my peace-loving religious group, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, lives under the constant threat of extremist violence in Pakistan. In fact, on May 28...
Originally Published in the Huffington Post Take for example, last week’s dual-covers of the Time, flaunting two men and two women kissing with a headline “Gay Marriage Already Won.” Knowing how millions of opponents of same-sex marriage might react to such images, Time‘s Managing Editor, Rick Stengel, preemptively coaxed them toward a decision by writing this in...
Three months after the shocking Newtown tragedy, America’s top lawmakers remain unable to take action on gun-control legislation. Instead, a fierce fight between President Obama and the gun lobby is on the rise. The gun lobby portrays Obama as an elite hypocrite who wants to abolish the Second Amendment by taking away Americans’ right to self-defense. Since the ratification of the Bill of Rights...
Billa was his nickname. A poor, uneducated Christian boy who cleaned sewer lines, removed garbage and, on a good day, played cricket with us on the streets of Lahore. I fondly remember how he could hit the ball out of the park and make the team proud. But life in Pakistan was rife with contradictions. In the afternoon, the team heard sermons narrating Muslim stories of equal treatment of non...
Originally published in the Twin Cities Daily Planet Cardinal Bergoglio was elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church yesterday. In his first remarks after being elected, Pope Francis said: “Let there be brotherhood amongst us.” As a Muslim, verse 65 of Chapter 3 in the Holy Qur’an reminds us that: “Say, ‘O People of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you —...
Originally Published in The News Tribune I want to congratulate the Catholic Church and Pope Francis on his election to the office of pope. I pray that he can bring about interfaith peace and understanding through his leadership. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, we understand the importance of leadership and its role in bringing about peace between the various faith communities...