by Ijaz Ahmed, PhD Reading about the shocking and horrifying shooting that occurred in Las Vegas Sunday night struck me at my core. This has been ruled the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the oldest Muslim organization in the United States, my heart and prayers go out to all of the victims and their families. May God bring them comfort during this difficult time. With over 50 dead and hundreds... Read more

by Hassan Mirza Recently there was an attack in Barcelona, the heart of Spain. A man drove a van into pedestrians, injuring and killing many. ISIS has claimed responsibility for this attack. It is unfortunate to hear that people were hurt and killed, but what is even more unfortunate is that this act was committed in the name of God. Not only do these perpetrators deserve to be brought to justice but the attack goes completely against the Islamic teachings... Read more

by Adil Khan  I ask one question to the Johns Hopkins University, my alma mater. What does it mean when it says that its mission is to “To educate its students and cultivate their capacity for lifelong learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.” In essence you are telling us that you want to educate students for the benefit of mankind. Do you then believe that dividing humanity is the... Read more

by Rahman Nasir  When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, I remember waking up in the middle of the night and cracking open my blinds to look outside. The street resembled a flowing river and the water was halfway up my driveway, but my house was safe. Unfortunately, 70% of my hometown was under water. Just 2 or 3 miles down the road, people were inundated in their homes with water at waste level. The city was in distress. My name is... Read more

by Qasim Rashid  Hurricane Harvey has left Houston devastated, and Hurricane Irma—currently a Category 3 Hurricane somewhere in the Atlantic—could strike the east coast of the United States by the weekend. By some estimates it could escalate to a Category 5 Hurricane. Natural disasters such as floods, plagues, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes have long served as a mark of Divine wrath. Numerous holy scriptures refer to various forms of natural disasters as reminders of God’s wrath on those people who... Read more

by Adil Khan Last month the International Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held its 51st annual convention, the Jalsa Salana UK, in Hadeeqatul Mahdi, Alton, Hampshire, England. The Jalsa was presided by the head of the AMC, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Fifth Caliph of the Promised Messiah (KhalifaofIslam.com). In all respects this convention was an international convention. Ahmadi Muslims from 114 countries attended this event, and the total event attendance  was over 37,393 on-site. Thousands of these were volunteers... Read more

Justice, Kindness and Kinship: An Islamic and American Imperative By Dr. John Andrew Morrow (Shaykh Ilyas Islam) Bismillah wa alhamdulillah wa salawat ‘ala Rasulillah. I, Dr. John Andrew Morrow, known as Ilyas ‘Abd al-‘Alim Islam, am honored to address the 69th Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. I am one of the few Muslim leaders who leads Friday prayers for Sunnis, who performs majlis for Shiis, who participates in dhikr with Sufis, and who speaks on the same platform as Ahmadis. I am one... Read more

by Aamir Nasir Quraishy The recent hate crimes targeting Muslims has made the month of Ramadan exceptionally difficult. This past month witnessed nationwide anti-shariah protests by a Muslim hate group known as ACT for America[1]. There has also been a surge in attacks against Muslims including an attack on a Mosque in North London [2] and the kidnapping-murder of Nabra Hassanen, a 17 year old Muslim girl.[3] Amidst the hate, this has also been a time of unity and coming together.... Read more

by Ijaz Ahmad Yesterday, I attended a seminar by Professor Mahzarin Banaji of Harvard University on the topic of unconscious bias. It was an incredibly mind-opening seminar that brought many biases I hold to the surface. But it also enabled me, in a way, to see the biases that other people hold, specifically towards the Muslim community. Last week, 22 people lost their lives to another senseless act of bloodshed in Manchester, UK. As Ahmadi Muslims, we extend our condolences... Read more