An American Muslim’s Thanksgiving (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Nov 24th, 2011
I know how much I didn’t know 15 years ago.
After landing at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York as an exchange visitor, I was faced with a culture shock. I knew the word “Manhattan” but I didn’t know what it actually meant. Was it a fruit? A car? A newspaper? I knew the name Michael Jordan but I didn’t know who he actually was. A singer? A scientist? A politician? I knew Thanksgiving was an important holiday in America but I didn’t know what to do on thanksgiving? Eat? Pray? Love?
Don’t forget. This was 1996, when internet was not ubiquitous and search...
Global Forum on Domestic Violence: A Radio Interview
Posted in Media, Radio on Nov 3rd, 2011
Listen to internet radio with eRadio Broadcast Network on Blog Talk...
Hijab is Not a Halloween Costume (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Oct 29th, 2011
What’s common between the following Halloween costumes? A guy who painted his neck red, pretending to be a redneck, his friend wearing a white T-shirt which has “wife beater” written on it, and his friend dressed like a Hasidic Jew keeping a tight grip (literally) over a pack of fake dollar bills.
All three of them represent ethnic or religious stereotyping.
Keeping that in mind, what should you say to someone using hijab, a Muslim woman’s head cover, while going to “trick or treat” or a Halloween party? Bad idea.
Why?
For starters, hijab, a religious symbol of...
Yosef Nadarkhani: Wait! Don’t Kill The Apostate (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Oct 3rd, 2011
My friend, Kamal, loves Home Depot. Why? Because of its generous return policy. Bring back your purchase with a receipt within 90 days and get your money back. So whenever Kamal has a one-time need for equipment, he buys it at Home Depot … only to return it for a full refund within 90 days!
Yet he believes in a “no return, no refund” policy for those who may be dissatisfied with Islam.
As a proud Muslim, I completely disagree with this notion. Sadly though, many face harassment and persecution at the hands of the so called Muslim governments who insist that the punishment for leaving...
Waging The Jihad of The Pen (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Sep 15th, 2011
Sardar Anees Ahmad remembers exactly where he was when the second plane struck on 9/11: obliviously walking with his professor, going from one class to another at his college in New York. As the tragedy unfolded, and one after another, a Muslim face and name resembling his, started flashing on TV screens worldwide, the 19-year-old Ahmad felt his blood boiling. Unable to reason, he felt as if every cell of his body was enraged, every pore sought vengeance and every breath longed for a purpose.
A year later, he found his purpose. Where? In a network of U.S. based “Jihadis.”
This brings us to...
Muslims for Life, Not Death (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Sep 8th, 2011
Which Muslim is not concerned with his image in the post 9/11 America? Which Muslim leader has not spoken to convince his coworkers, co-travelers, co-team members of his peaceful values? And despite all concerns and speeches to change their image, why do most Americans remain uninspired by Muslims?
Ask Mark Stroman. An enraged 31-year-old white American, who fatally shot two Southeast Asian men in Dallas, TX, within a month of 9/11, 2001. His third victim, Rais Bhuiyan, a 37-year-old Muslim from Bangladesh, survived a facial bullet injury. Stroman was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death in...
Islamic Reasons Why the Syrian President Must Go (Huffington Post)
Posted in Op-Eds on Aug 17th, 2011
“… because Muslim leaders are driving on Interstate-95 South from Washington D.C., hoping to reach New York.”
This is my response to an embarrassing question that always comes up during my religious courses and lectures: “If Islam truly champions the values of equality, freedom, and compassion, then why do we see the Muslim world in chaos?”
Case in point: Syria. Since the largely peaceful uprising against a four decade long dictatorship started four months ago, nearly 1700 civilians have been killed by the regime, including 200 deaths in the week leading up to the Muslim...
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