Originally published in The Eagle The violence continues and more blood has been shed; ISIS has beheaded two Japanese hostages Huruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto and released a video of the Jordanian pilot, Moaz Kasabeh, being burned alive. [We just learned that American aid worker Kayla Mueller has been killed buy ISIS.] This self-proclaimed “Islamic State” continues to show the world its...
Originally published in High Point Enterprise The so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq continues to shock the world with its acts of hatred and barbarity. Not only have they beheaded two Japanese men they recently also burned alive the Jordanian pilot Moaz Kasasbeh. For a demonic organization to perpetuate these acts in the name of Islam is disgusting and hurtful. As a Muslim American and...
Originally published in The Charlotte Observer This attack has revealed an unfortunate double standard within the mainstream media. When a Muslim perpetrates violence, the foremost aspect of the incident brought to light is the religion of the perpetrator, and every news channel reports on it repeatedly. The moment a vocal anti-theist like Craig Hicks commits such an act, the perpetrator is...
Originally published in Statesman The execution-style murder of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, N.C., is heart-breaking to read about; even worse, however, is the delay and lack of coverage by the mainstream media. Though unfortunate, the muted response wasn’t at all surprising. Had the killer been a Muslim who, like Craig Hicks, spewed bigoted comments online, we would have had 24-hour...
Originally published in The Star Tribune On Wednesday night, the Al-Madinah Cultural Center at the University of Minnesota held a candlelight vigil for the three Muslims who were shot to death in Chapel Hill, N.C. While sources suggest the motives were due to parking disputes, one can’t simply ignore the fact that anti-Islamic sentiment portrayed in the media has been on the rise and may have...
Originally published in Akron Beacon Journal The recent shooting at Chapel Hill, N.C., shows me, as an American Muslim, that whenever a tragedy happens unnecessarily to any person of any faith or way of life, we should pray for them and extend our condolences. The alleged shooter was an outspoken anti-theist. Craig Hicks’ Facebook page was filled with hatred toward religion. Although we hear that...
Originally published in News & Observer All one has to do to see the beauty of Islam is to take a look at the lives of the three amazing young Muslims or the response and reaction from their families and Muslim community in the wake of the tragic slayings in Chapel Hill. Contrast this with every major news channel’s favorite depiction of Islam as a religion of hate and evil whose followers...
Originally published in Patheos Recently The Atlantic published a piece titled, “What ISIS Really Wants.” The lengthy piece makes numerous fallacious claims about ISIS and its relation to Islam and Islamic doctrine. Accordingly, and significantly, it misses the strategy necessary to counter and overcome ISIS terrorism. Perhaps most frustrating about the article is it offers no new insights...
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 News & Record Both our Wolfpack and Tar Heel families mourn the tragic deaths of Deah Barakat, a dental student at UNC-Chapel Hill, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, and her sister Razan Abu-Salha, a sophomore at N.C. State. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I am deeply hurt by the loss of my brother and sisters in faith, and my prayers go out to their family and friends. As I looked out...