Originally published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer In the auditorium of Summa Akron City Hospital, amongst dozens of intelligent and aspiring first-year pharmacy and medical students, I pondered the words of Dr. Joseph Zarconi. I was stuck on the significance of the color white as we discussed the responsibilities of the white coat we would now finally be granted after admission into the...
Originally published in The Huffington Post As the old wisdom goes, the opposite of love isn’t hate — it’s apathy. If you don’t understand why that is, look no further than the Syrian refugee crisis. A five-year Syrian civil war rages on that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. And as the worst refugee crisis since WWII erupts onto the world stage, the...
Originally Published in the Tulsa World This might surprise some but Thanksgiving always has been a very special day to me, not only as an American but also as a Muslim. While many religions rightfully emphasize that one should be thankful to God for the many bounties that we are given, Islam goes one step further. The Prophet Muhammad has said, “He who is not thankful...
Originally published in the Orange County Register As we relish our turkeys and cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, let us also pledge to help the Typhoon Haiyan victims, Syrian refugees who are braving the upcoming harsh weather and millions of our poverty-stricken brethren. Thanking God for all His blessings can be done through words and through actions, by living up to the potential that He has...
Originally published in the Oshkosh Northwestern As Thanksgiving comes around, many of us will become pre-occupied with food, family, shopping and football – this is Packer nation after all. It would be nice if we were also thankful for all the blessings we enjoy. Thanksgiving should be about tradition and food but it should also include thinking and caring for the less...
Originally published in the Duluth News Tribune Aug. 28 marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which earned him a stature exclusive only to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. All three men faced enormous challenges, but their faith, courage and sacrifices helped shape modern America by advancing the notion of basic human equality and universal freedom...
How ironic. I stayed up all night writing a rejoinder to an anti-Islam politician who insists that Islam is a violent faith. Instead, I’m met by Al-Shabab who brutally murder 59 non-Muslims in Nairobi, Kenya, the Taliban who blow up a church and kill 85 Christians in Peshawar, Pakistan, and the Pakistan police who deface and destroy three Ahmadi Muslim prayer places in Sialkot, Pakistan. Each of...
Originally Published in The Washington Post Conflict became inevitable when the United Nations approved the 1947 Israel/Palestine partition. Over six decades later, the region’s health continues to suffer and the world hangs precariously close to global conflict. While Palestine’s 2012 upgrade to “permanent observer” is a much-needed step forward, it alone is not enough. In the conflict over...
Originally Published in Mercurynews.com Four Californian Muslims have been arrested on account of their plans to join the Taliban and kill Americans. This comes as a big hit to me as a 23-year-old Californian Muslim. Like most Muslims, I wholly condemn these people. But as a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, denouncing such acts is part of my DNA. My fellow Americans, know that organized...
Originally Published in The Hartford Courant. This holiday season, many of us gather around a table to enjoy good food and company for the sake of Thanksgiving. But how do we really show that we are thankful? As American Muslims of the Ahmadiyya Community, we believe the best way for us to show our thanks is by serving mankind, particularly those of our nation, America. Many Americans have still...