Originally published in NewsOK Regarding “Both sides due criticism in Oklahoma-Islam flap” (Your Views, Sept. 21): State Rep. John Bennett’s wholesale condemnation of Islam paints a negative picture of Oklahoma. That’s why I appreciated that The Oklahoman repudiated Bennett’s remarks. But I must take exception to one statement in the editorial: “CAIR and other Islamic groups should be more...
Originally published in Springfield Republican On July 15, Imtiaz Ahmad was shot and killed in front of his shop in Nawabshah, Pakistan. Mr. Ahmad, 38, passed away while being rushed to the hospital. He leaves behind his father, wife and three children. The death of this innocent man is sadly not uncommon in Pakistan, where murder based on religious outlook is all but legally justified. Mr. Ahmad...
Originally published in The Washington Times A young man was fatally shot in front of his shop a few days ago in Nawabshah, Pakistan. Imtiaz Ahmad was an Ahmadi Muslim and the youth leader of his local chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He leaves behind his wife, three sons and father. It was only a month-and-a-half ago that another Ahmadi Muslim, Dr. Mehdi Ali, who was there from the...
Originally published in Shreve Port Times Unfortunately, Islam is a misunderstood religion. As a practicing Muslim living in America, I feel it is my responsibility to clear these misconceptions. To do so, I have dedicated my life to serve God and mankind. I recently moved here to serve as the Imam (a title for a Muslim religious minister) for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of New Orleans Greater...
Originally published in Foreign Policy On May 13, 2014, police in the province of Punjab announced that they had registered a complaint of blasphemy against sixty-eight lawyers who had been involved in a protest against a police officer. The protest started after a senior officer allegedly detained and beat one of the lawyer’s colleagues. During the protests, the lawyers had called out the...
Originally published in Religion News Service If a Muslim reads a Catholic newspaper in the Malay language and sees the word “Allah,” he might mistake it as a reference to the Quran and become a Christian when he learns those are actually references to the Bible. At least, that’s the reasoning Malaysian Muslim groups used when they pushed Malaysia’s Supreme Court to ban a Catholic newspaper...
Originally Published in Miami Herald I’m devastated at the cowardly and cold-blooded killing of Dr. Mehdi Ali Qamar, an American Ahmadi Muslim cardiologist, while he was in Pakistan on a humanitarian mission. Dr. Qamar was shot 11 times in front of his wife and 2-year-old son. I’m a cardiologist, too, and share the same aspiration to serve fellow human beings like Dr. Qamar. My desire to serve my...
Originally published in The Hartford Courant There is a dire need to stand up against religious persecution. Last Monday, after paying tribute to our men and women in uniform on Memorial Day, my religious community, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, commemorated another recent American hero, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his service. Dr. Mehdi Qamar, a cardiologist practicing near...
Originally published in Time News The fiasco continues. Islamophobes are fabricating the myth that Islam promotes Jew-hatred by taking out ads on D.C. buses. Take a look at the ad, linked above—does anyone else find it insane that these ignorant people are spending money promoting pictures of Adolf Hitler? Now, certainly some Muslims are anti-Jewish, as are some Christians, agnostics...
Originally published in On Faith To Abubakar Shekau and all members of Jama’at Ahl-e-Sunnah Lidda’awa wal-Jihad: I begin with the Islamic greeting of peace – Asalaamo Alaikum (may peace be on you). I have watched for nearly a month as your group (most commonly known as Boko Haram) has been gaining more international attention. Of course, this is not the first I have heard about you — while...