Originally published in Philadelphia News As a Muslim American, I feel pain from the Boston bombings. But our history shows that we grow stronger after such attacks (“Struck down, stepping up,” April 13). Islam condemns the killing of innocents. In honor of the victims, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held a blood drive at Boston City Hall. I wish the participants and spectators a safe...
Originally published in The Orange County Register As a Muslim, I offer my deepest condolences to victims of a shooting that targeted Jews outside a Jewish community center and senior-living facility in Kansas [“3 shot to death at Jewish center, retirement enclave,” News, April 14]. Terrorism has no race or religion and should be condemned in all of its ugly forms. May God give comfort to the...
Originally published in The St. Louis Dispatch As we reflect on the tragic events that unfolded at the Boston Marathon a year ago and try to understand what brought the perpetrators to this dark place, let us not blame the Islamic faith. There is no place in a true Islamic conversion experience that allows for the wanton killing of other people. The Holy Quran, the main sourcebook of Islam...
Originally published in The Daily Bulletin The purpose of my Dec. column was to show from the clear statements by God and Jesus how it goes against the majesty and omnipotence of God that He could be or ever was a weak human being who was humiliated, disgraced and spat on by his enemies, and then condemned by a worldly court as a criminal, savagely whipped and then nailed to a cross to...
Originally published in New York Daily News Jamaica Hills: I am an 11-year-old American Ahmadi Muslim. My parents are from Bangladesh, and I am in sixth grade. It has been quite an experience growing up in post-9/11 America with my background. In the fifth grade, every time the topics Islam, Muslims, 9/11 or the World Trade Center were brought up, everyone, including the teacher, would stare at...
Originally published in Springfield News-Leader I am the new imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, St. Louis chapter. I have dedicated my life to the service of God and mankind. Our mosque (Baitul Hafeez Mosque) is located at 4529 Emerson Ave. in St. Louis. At our mosque we hold five daily prayers, Friday prayers, weekly meetings and Interfaith symposiums. All are welcome, Muslim or non-Muslim...
Originally Published in the Daily Herald As an Ahmadi Muslim, I revere and love Jesus just as my Christian brothers and sisters do. This is because the Quran states, “Oh Mary, God gives thee glad tidings of a word from him; his name shall be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honored in this world and in the next and of those who are granted nearness to God (3:46). To express my Christmas...
Originally Published in the New Haven Register My name is “Sohail.” Based on my Indian ancestry, my name is pronounced just the way it’s spelled. But because I’m a Muslim and my name is derived from Arabic, it’s technically pronounced “Su-hayl.” Try explaining that to someone on the other line when you’re trying to phone in a rushed order for Chinese takeout. So out of convenience, I will...
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 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...