Day of Arafah for Hajj 2020 in Covid 19 Era

Last updated on: July 30, 2020 at 1:02 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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

Reliving My Hajj-3 years Later in Covid 19 Era

Last updated on: July 26, 2020 at 11:46 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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

Hagia Sophia’s Conversion to a Mosque and the Western Hypocrisy

Last updated on: July 19, 2020 at 9:23 am By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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

Was O.J. Simpson a Victim of Police Racism?

Last updated on: June 6, 2020 at 6:08 am By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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

“I Can’t Breathe”, A Call to Action

Last updated on: May 31, 2020 at 11:39 am By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

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

Covid-19 is Not God’s Punishment

Last updated on: April 2, 2020 at 10:36 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

We have been hearing people , including the extreme right wing, blaming God again- this time for the pandemic caused by Covid-19 virus as a punishment from God for all our sins and evil that exists in today’s world. These opinions are not limited to any single religion. I simply don’t think this is the case, and I will explain why. I think we were all blind sided by the Corona virus pandemic. As of writing this post, over a... Read more

It Was Adam Who Committed Original Sin, Not Eve

Last updated on: February 1, 2020 at 8:42 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Let me start by stating that Original sin is a Christian doctrine, not a Muslim or Jewish belief. However the debate has existed whether it was Adam or Eve who disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and fell from grace. The Biblical narrative generally puts the blame on Eve, and the Qur’an clearly states it was Adam, as explained below. The focus of my interfaith work has been on highlighting the commonalities between Abrahamic faiths and Scriptures, but the... Read more

Kobe Bryant’s Shocking Death a Stark Reminder About Life’s Uncertainty

Last updated on: January 27, 2020 at 7:59 am By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Like everyone around, I am still in shock and disbelief after hearing the news of the tragic death of NBA megastar Kobe Bryant. It has not sunk in yet. After all, he was more than a Lakers and an NBA star and his legend only grew after he retired from NBA about 4 years ago. It is also a stark reminder that we really don’t know what lies ahead of us despite planning hard for times to come. I have... Read more

Happy Hanukkah, Chanukah Sameach From a Muslim

Last updated on: December 27, 2019 at 3:58 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

After wishing our Christian cousins Merry Christmas, its time to reach out to our Jewish cousins to wish them a Happy Hanukkah (also spelled and pronounced Chanukah) to commemorate the rededication of the 2nd temple to the service of One true God. Jews around the nation and the world are celebrating the 8-day festival also known as Chanukah in the memory of the recapture of the 2nd temple from the King Antiochus IV, after he had taken over Jerusalem. The... Read more

Merry Christmas Greetings From a Muslim

Last updated on: December 25, 2019 at 12:50 pm By Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Many Christians wonder if Muslims celebrate Christmas. Many Muslims wonder if they should celebrate Christmas. Still others wonder if they should wish their Christians friends, neighbors and colleagues Merry Christmas. Does wishing Merry Christmas mean one is endorsing the salvation doctrine, or against islamic teachings? Whether you like him or not, the recently impeached President Trump has openly declared he wants to bring “Merry Christmas” back into the holiday greetings. In the rising areligious, politically correct America, people have been... Read more