Originally published in “The Citizens’ Voice” By Arsalan Ahmad Khan Hate crimes in the U.S. have seen an increase in the recent months following the election of President Trump. A hate crime is defined as abuse against a group or individual based on religious views or racial ethnic background. This increase includes heinous acts against people belonging to Jewish communities and...
Originally published in the Huffington Post With last week’s release of Charlie Hebdo’s newest edition, marking the one-year anniversary of the infamous terrorist attack on its offices that killed 12 people, once again the debate about free speech has been ignited. In its recent publication, the editors at the magazine decided to take aim at all religion and blame God for terrorism...
Originally published in the Hufington Post You’re seven times more likely to be shot by a right wing extremist in the United States than you are to be shot by a Muslim extremist. But I guess facts don’t stop many Americans from being deathly afraid of all Muslims. I know it’s crazy to think that just because a few radical extremists do something horrifying, the faith of Islam is...
Originally published on Patheos This is a challenging time for all Muslims in America as the despicable actions of a few put Islam in a terrible light. This situation is not made any easier when there is blatant hate being spread by educated members of society. Recently Joe Walsh, a former US Congressman of Illinois, put a video on his Facebook page where he says, “I think Islam has a real...
Originally published in The Huffington Post Dear daughter, Next month I’ll become a father for the first time to a girl. You will be my daughter. Your mother and I are blessed with two boys already, and we are thrilled to finally have the blessing of a girl in our home. But, my dear, as I look around the world I see a frightening reality. One in which women are valued less than men...
Originally published in The Baltimore Sun Black History month is an important time to commemorate the accomplishments of blacks around the world; it is also a time to remember and address the unresolved issues in our society dealing with race. Last year highlighted several issues which, despite the successes of the Civil Rights movement, still plague our society. They include the disproportionate...
Originally published in The Huffington Post This weekend, fliers threatening Muslims with mass murder were left at an MBTA station minutes from my home in Revere, Massachusetts. The warning on the fliers: Muslims in America be ready to face death if ISIS did not surrender within the following three days, as if Muslim Americans command and control the actions of the terrorist group. This incident...
When I tell my friends how I met my fiancée, they say I got the easy way out. Many of them tell me the tales of dating they have had to go through to win over their current life partners. Unlike the norm, I met my fiancé through a process more akin to one from a Jane Austin novel. I had met her while studying at UC Berkeley and was attracted by her character and her hijab. A few years later when...
Originally Published in Chattanooga Times Free Press – The protests in Baltimore have brought the racial divide in America back into the spotlight. But unlike the protests in the 1960s, these protests center mostly on police brutality, specifically towards African-Americans. However, even such circumstances don’t warrant violent rioting. Just like in the ’60s, this problem will...
Originally published in Time News Like hundreds of other Ahmadi Muslims, Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar was murdered only for his faith. Combined, education and compassion can conquer such extremism. Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar was the type of friend every American would proudly brag about. He was a loyal U.S. citizen. He was only 50, a loving husband and father of three. He dedicated his life to medicine and to...