Originally published on Time.com I’m a Muslim American. On Nov. 15, two days after the Paris attacks, I boarded a plane from Newark to Houston. I had just returned from a formal event, so I was wearing a plain white “shalwar,” a shirt that stops at the knees and is commonly worn by South Asians. As is my routine, I purchased in-flight WiFi to catch up on emails. But the WiFi was out on the plane...
Originally published on GoErie.com By targeting a soccer game, restaurant and concert hall, Islamic State terrorists tried to upset the normalcy of ordinary Parisians. Places like those targeted are the sort of spots where the ordinary young folks of Paris gather on the weekends to unwind after a week of work. Now the responsible powers of the civilized world should give the terrorists an...
Originally published on the Statesman As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I emigrated to the United States fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan. I am blessed and thankful for the freedom and liberties which the U.S. provides to me. Therefore, I find Gov. Abbott’s refusal to accept any Syrian refugees morally wrong and against the American values of fairness, justice and compassion...
Originally published on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette I was extremely saddened and hurt when I found out about the attacks in Paris and Beirut, which resulted in the loss of more than 170 lives. The perpetrators did this under the guise of Islam and by loudly proclaiming “Allaho Akbar,” which literally means God is the greatest. But their actions were brutal, inhumane and of a very low standard. My...
Originally published In Pennsylvania Live Your attacks in Paris (and around the world) sicken me. My immense sadness at the innocent loss of life is rivaled only by the extreme anger I feel towards you. I don’t know where your funding is coming from that allows you to still function. But as a Muslim, I do know this – Your hatred and your violence is prohibited by the religion that you...
Originally Published in Huffington Post As I left my mosque in Philadelphia Friday afternoon my phone lit up with texts and tweets about attacks in Paris. Muslims have been conditioned on how to respond to these attacks. First, we feel pain for the loss of life. And most certainly my heart sank as I saw the horrific aftermath of the Paris attacks. Then, almost as quickly we hope the attackers...
Originally published in New Jersey Local News On the horrific day of Jan. 7, twelve innocent lives were taken in Paris (“Police detain 9 in hunt for Paris attack suspects,” Jan. 8, nj.com). This heinous crime has left the vast majority of the Muslim community in shock and we all send our prayers out to the victims’ families. Terrorists were angered by previous publications made by the...