Originally Published in Time There’s an important history behind America’s free speech laws to which the anti-Islam hate group behind the “Draw Muhammad Contest,” is wholly ignorant. While the Islamophobe leading this hate group believes she’s a free speech champion,remarkably comparing herself to Rosa Parks, in reality America’s current free speech model developed as an attempt to protect — not...
Originally Published in Adviser and Source There is no question regarding the condemnation of the attacks in Garland, Texas. As an Ahmadi Muslim I believe whole heartedly in the sanctity of human life and reject violence, terror, and extremism. Interestingly though, Pamela Gellar continues to push the conversation to “Free Speech” and whether or not Islam would agree with it. I...
Originally Published in USA Today Two gunmen opened fire in Garland, Texas, Sunday, outside an event hosted by the American Freedom Defense Initiative. Cartoons of Mohammed were displayed. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, I condemn the attacks wholeheartedly. The prophet in his lifetime repeatedly tolerated such abuse. However, the actions that provoked this atrocity also need to be...
Originally Published in Star-Telegram American extremists returned to media coverage this week by descending on Garland. They wasted no time from their last plots of creating disorder, targeting major American cities like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Each attack on American minds went through without failure. Of course, this is a reference to the Islamophobes who came to...
Originally Published in The Oregonian As a Muslim youth who grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I am deeply saddened and disgusted to see the actions perpetrated by two gunmen in Garland, Texas. Reactions like this go against the very essence of the holy Quran, in which it is written, “When you hear the signs of God being denied and mocked at, sit not with those who indulge in such talk...
Originally Published in CDA Press As a member of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I condemn the attack on the event hosted by American Freedom Defense Initiative in Garland, Texas, where the cartoons of Prophet Muhammad were displayed. As a Muslim living in the U.S., I also bring to question the intent of the organization hosting this event. If the intent was to dishonor Prophet Muhammad then I ask...
Originally Published in The Daily Caller Here’s a painful reality no one wants to hear. In 2013 Israel forcibly administered birth control injections to Ethiopian Jewish women, and did so without their consent or knowledge. Likewise, more than half of the 135,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel live in poverty, and only half even have a high school diploma. The recent police brutality against...
Originally Published in The Austin Chronicle Dear Editor, The shooting outside an event in Garland where people were asked to draw cartoons of Prophet Muhammad should be condemned by all. Islam does not condone any punishment for blasphemy. In fact, during the Prophet Muhammad’s life, people hurled all kinds of abuse at him yet he bore it with patience and forgave them all. Those who act against...
Originally Published in The Press-Enterprise Re: “Gunmen killed at Muhammad cartoon contest” [News, May 4]: The shootings in Garland, Texas, show the ugly sides of extremism on both ends. To promote hateful abuse in the name of free speech is out of bounds, and to counter this with deadly violence is counterproductive and demeaning to the very prophet being defended. As a Muslim, I believe free...
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...