How many times we see a piece of news or information on social media that turns out to be totally false or baseless? How often do we feel compelled to share it on our social media platform without confirming it first? Are we not responsible for spreading fake news? With the fact-checking in vogue nowadays, the Qur’an called for it some 1400 years ago, as mentioned below. Be truthful. How many times have you forwarded a facebook or Whatsapp message... Read more
‘Make America Great Again’ served Donald Trump well during the 2016 presidential election. However, based on how things shaped up after he took the office, America was anything but great. My plea to the president-elect Joe Biden is simple: Just make America, America again. As an immigrant Muslim, I arrived in America some 35 years ago with the same aspirations of everyone who has made America home. It is a land of opportunity. You can achieve your dreams if you... Read more
Did you fast this past Ashura- on the 10th of Muharram, or in the past years? Were you thinking about fasting on Ashura? If so, this article will be of great interest to you. I must admit that this may be my most “controversial” blogpost, but one that needs your full attention for the reasons mentioned below. As you probably know, my style is not one to confront or cause controversy. My focus during interfaith and intra-faith dialogue has been... Read more
Muslims around the world are commemorating the great martyrdom of Imam Hussain and rest of the family of Prophet Muhammad and his companions in the year 61 Hijra (680 CE). The memory remains strong even after about 1400 years. Every year it feels like it just happened. How do we keep the memory of Karbala alive? How do we best pay tribute to him and his family, and small group of helpers? The best way is indeed to follow the... Read more
Once again I see “Happy New Year” , or “Happy New (Hijri) Year” greetings all over the social media with the moon sighting for Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar and the start of the Islamic Hijri year. But is the Islamic New Year a cause for celebration or a solemn reminder of an immense tragedy that befell the noble family of Prophet Muhammad in Karbala, and the lessons we learned from their sacrifice? The Friday sermons and... Read more
Today is the day of Arafah- one of the holiest days in Islam. Muslim pilgrims from around the world WOULD HAVE gathered in a desert plain called Arafat near Mecca. Well they are still gathering but they are not from ‘around the world’. This year due to Coronavirus pandemic, the Hajj is restricted to those in Saudi Arabia- their citizens and those living in the kingdom. It remains a touchy feeling for me as I recall the same journey I took... Read more
This is the 3rd anniversary of my life-changing experience when I embarked for Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and the 5th pillar of Islam. I have posted every year since, reliving my experience, one step at a time. My posts usually started with something like this- “Muslims from around the world are gathering in Mecca…”. It is quite painful to state that this is the first time in a very long time that Muslims are not gathering at Ka’aba... Read more
The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque last week, drew sharp reactions from the Christian, Muslim and secular circles. Many Muslims have supported the “conversion” to a mosque, while others have opposed it. Predictably most Western states and orthodox Christians, among others, have criticized it. I will discuss what I believe is the Qur’an’s view on churches, as well as the hypocrisy of those critical of the move. To be clear, this time around Hagia Sophia’s conversion to a... Read more
George Floyd's murderers filed a false police report, bringing back the memories of the perjury of the racist investigator Mark Fuhrman in OJ Simpson's case. Read more
As he pleaded for his life, “I can’t breathe”, another innocent African American life was lost. The murder of George Floyd at the hands of four police officers is yet another unfortunate loss of a precious life, symptomatic of a widespread disease, as lethal as the Covid-19 pandemic. The disease is called racism and police brutality against African Americans and other minorities. “I can’t breathe” is a call for action. “I can’t breathe” is a plea to awaken our conscience.... Read more
