Ask A (Born Again) Muslim - Page 2 of 14 - Frank talk and answering your faith questions with Dr Ejaz

Neuroscience of Hate, Stereotyping, Racism and Implicit Bias

November 12, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, racism and other hate incidents are on the rise-Tree of Life synagogue and multiple church shootings to name just a couple. These incidents are often politicized but there is actually a lot of research on the neuroscience of bias, hate and stereotyping with some remarkable findings. Recently I took the Implicit Bias Test and urge you to do the same. I was introduced to this subject by Kimberly Papillon, a consultant on Neuroscience and Law, when she… Read more

Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar- First Muslim Women in U.S. Congress and Islamophobia

November 8, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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On Tuesday, Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American and Ilhan Omar, a Somali American Muslim made history with their election to the U.S. congress. They are the first Muslim women to do so. It adds to the diversity of America and is a moment that we as Americans should be proud of, except for Islamophobes who are spitting even more venom as some of the excerpts from the alt right outlet Breitbart below would show. Rashida is a proud Palestinian American… Read more

10 Signs of True Christians

November 5, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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So I must admit I feel awkward as a Muslim to write about signs of good Christians. However, as a student of the Bible and an interfaith worker, and given the current national environment, I could not pass up on a post from a Christian blogger that this article is based on. The original post, titled “10 Signs of a Jesus Follower” by blogger Jesse Gardner appeared several years ago but is perhaps even more relevant in the current environment…. Read more

Tree of Life Synagogue Murders Are Acts of Terrorism

October 31, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Last night I was at our neighborhood synagogue honoring the eleven innocent people of Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill near Pittsburgh during Shabbat service last week. One of the Rabbis said “they died only because they were Jewish”. The emotions ranged from sadness, anger, and compassion, and yes fear was expressed about our vulnerability. President Trump visited the Tree of life synagogue yesterday, but has not called this an act of terrorism yet. How is this not an… Read more

Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting a Sign of Rising Anti-Semitism

October 27, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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My condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the terrorist attack on the #TreeofLife Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA earlier this morning during a Shabbat service. The sad truth is that anti-Semitism is alive and well in America and around the world. At the moment, the death toll stands at 11. The culprit Robert Bowers, a white male, was apprehended after the shooting. The FBI will be the lead agency investigating this as a hate crime. The suspected… Read more

Explosive Devices a Sign of Hate And a Nation Deeply Divided

October 24, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Yesterday the two former presidents received explosive devices in mail. So did the chair of the Democratic National Party, the CNN headquarter, and many other leaders of the Democratic Party. Thank God, no one was hurt. Is this a sign of our nation being deeply divided by hate, along the party lines like never before? Is this attack consistent with Christian values, assuming of course they were sent by right wing extremist/s to prominent Democrats and left leaning news channel…. Read more

Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad Addressing Social Justice and Gender

October 19, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Though we tend to think of him as the one who “founded” a new religion consisting of rituals and acts of worship, the fact is that he brought forth a social revolution in the span of 23 years. The issues he discussed were unheard of in all of Arabia and possibly in the entire world at the time. More than just a set of religious commandments, he emphasized social, racial and gender equality and human rights. Following is a small… Read more

October 19, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Was Jesus a Muslim, Christian or a Jew?

October 13, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Was Jesus a Jew or a Christian or a Muslim? If he was a Jew, how do you reconcile that the “founder” of Christianity was a Jew? Muslims believe he was a “Muslim”, but not in the way “Muslims” are traditionally viewed. As you strain your eyebrows over this claim, let me explain why. Whereas many Muslim scholars would agree he was a Jew ethnically and he was considered a Jew based on his religious affiliation to the temple and… Read more

Shattering Stereotypes: A Galaxy Named After A Hijabi Woman

October 10, 2018 By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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Last year I published a post on 3 myths about Hijab. One myth I neglected to mention was the long-held belief even among some Muslims that Hijabi women are uneducated, backward and/or oppressed. Here is an example of one truly remarkable, myth-busting Hijabi woman astrophysicist. But let me first go over the 3 myths I covered on my prior post briefly. Myth#1 Hijab is a dress code only. Hijab is commonly thought of a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf and… Read more