Originally published in The Northwestern On Sunday Muslims all over the world began fasting to observe the month of Ramadan. For the next thirty days, physically capable Muslims will forgo all food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Children, sick and the elderly are exempt from fasting. Fasting is much more than just suffering hunger and thirst. The true spirit of fasting is to appreciate the...
Originally published in The Northwestern I am the new Imam for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Mosque located on N. Eagle Street in Oshkosh. I have been appointed here by the Khalifa of Islam, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, in order to serve this beautiful city and its people, to build relationships and to be a trustworthy source about Islam. Service to humanity is a hallmark of our...
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 Oshkosh Northwestern Every time I hear of an atrocity in the name of Islam, I feel the ever growing need as a Muslim to speak to the entire Muslim population. My intent in doing so is to unite all Muslims everywhere to join together and eradicate extremist and fundamentalist elements. I would begin by mentioning that protecting life, liberty, and property (i.e. houses...
Originally published in The Oshkosh Northwestern The Islamic month of Ramadan started last week. Ramadan is the month of fasting. Fasting is when you don’t eat or drink from dawn to sunset. Sick people, traveling people, and kids are allowed to skip fasting to a time when they are able to. If one cannot fast at all, then at least one should arrange food for a poor and needy person...
Originally published in The Oshkosh Northwestern Starting July 10, as the Islamic month of Ramadan rolls around, I know I will get questions like “So how long do you have to go without food?” or “Do you have to fast if you are sick or young?” but it is the “I can’t eat or drink anything, not even water” comment that usually gets the most...