Originally published in The Houston Chronicle Regarding “Vigil honors 3 Muslim students shot to death in N. Carolina” (Page B1, Monday), what kind of resentment can cause someone to shoot 3 college students in the head as happened in the recent Chapel Hill shootings? Some say it was over a “parking dispute,” but the answer may lie in the growing Islamophobia in the...
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 Baltimore Sun When tragedy strikes, communities come together against those who breach peace and commit heinous crimes. The murder of three innocent Muslims near Chapel Hill, North Carolina is nothing short of such a tragedy (“N.C. killings linked to Islamophobia,” Feb. 13). But today’s media shows a sharp contrast in the coverage of such attacks...
Originally published in USA Today The fatal shooting of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, N.C., last week prompted a debate about Islamophobia. Letter to the editor: I heard the tragic news of the senseless killing of Deah Barakat, Yusor Mohammad and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha in my neighborhood last week. My deepest condolences go out to the families of the deceased. Whether the motive behind...
Originally published in The Boston Globe MY HEART sank as I received dreadful news that three innocent Muslim students had been murdered by Craig Hicks, a vocal anti-theist. Being a Muslim, I suddenly began to question my safety from such a hate crime. Although the motive of the culprit is still unknown, it goes without saying that there is a rise in anti-Islam rhetoric in the US. For example...
Originally published in The Express Tribune This weekend, fliers threatening Muslims with mass murder were left at a bus station minutes from my home near Boston. 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 unfortunate incident...
Originally published in The Huffington Post Anti-Islam personalities can demonstrate glaring hypocrisy. On one hand they scream “where are the moderate Muslims and why aren’t they condemning ISIS terrorism?” When Muslims the world over condemn ISIS in word and deed, the first ones to object are ironically anti-Islam personalities. “ISIS is just as legitimate as...
Originally published in The Baltimore Sun As an Ahmad Muslim, I believe Islam condemns terrorism and that there is no room for any violence in the name of blasphemy. The Qur’an constantly exhorts people to think while also telling Muslims to ignore the ignorant and provocative, not harm them. The Holy Prophet Muhammad faced insults and ridicule throughout his life yet never punished anyone...
Originally posted in Portland Tribune Nearly 200 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association recently traveled to London in a historic trip to meet with the Khalifa of Islam. Unlike many news stories today depicting radicalized youth traveling abroad, the story of these young men was far different. They met with the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mizra Masroor Ahmad. Ahmad has been...
Originally posted in The Northwestern On April 15, Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam members in Oshkosh, opened their doors to the community to gather and find out more about Islam. Our topic was “Demystifying Islam”. The very purpose was to allow for an open dialogue and invite any questions, especially the ones termed “Difficult”. By any estimation of how to gauge the success of a gathering, it was a...