Originally published in the Huffington Post Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an extreme anti-Islam critic, well known for her bigoted views and dishonest generalizations of the Muslim faith. When she was invited to speak at Yale’s Buckley program recently, some student groups — including the Yale Humanist Community — issued a statement criticizing the invitation. In their statement, thegroup...
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 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...
Originally Posted on The Huffington Post And so as we lay 26 innocent souls to rest, we ask yet again — for the 19th time in the past 60 months alone — is this the America we envisioned? Please spare me the “it isn’t the right time to talk about gun laws” talking point. In fact, the right time was much earlier — like after Oak Creek, Boulder, or after...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post Last week, I was taking pictures at my son’s elementary school’s winter concert. The kindergartners were dressed as elephants, monkeys and other animals; my son was wearing the zebra costume. The children were singing; the parents were clapping. It was like watching The Lion King on Broadway. Then on Friday, as I was getting those pictures...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post There are many similarities between the candidates vying for the District 5 seat on the Prince George’s County (Maryland) Board of Education: they are both women, both members of minority groups, both long-term residents of the county and both highly qualified. Yet there is a key difference: Age. Raaheela Ahmad is the 19-year-old maverick...
Originally Published in The Washington Post and The Huffington Post Someone is missing from this picture. Because just when I was wondering if extremists could do anymore damage to Islam’s image, they committed yet another despicable act. As if flogging the adulterers, executing the civilians, and selling the women were not enough, on Oct. 8, the Taliban attempted to assassinate a 14-year...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post My 10-year-old sister published her first Letter to the Editor in the Columbus Dispatch — with the help of her big brother, of course. She had innocently expressed her dismay at the unbecoming conduct of some Disney Channel stars who were supposed to be her role models. She gazed in awe as I pulled up the letter online and began reading the...
Originally Published in The Huffington Post “Over the past three weeks, violence and protests have spread from Libya and Egypt to more than two dozen countries, leaving dozens dead, including a U.S. Ambassador and other U.S. diplomats. The film that allegedly spurred these events has been the centerpiece of a raging debate about the use of free speech and the response from people targeted...