Muslim Reaction to Paris
By Anila Ali
Irvine, CA
“The pen is mightier than the sword,” is what I heard my father, an esteemed journalist from Pakistan, not only articulate but practice religiously in his professional life. He would let me express my opinions openly even if they fringed on questioning faith, political systems and whatever else teenagers like to defy as they are going through their formative years.
He would encourage me to go to the Speaker’s Corner in London and vent my opinions. And yes, my father is a great Muslim and was brought up with the same values of freedom, respect, and tolerance as his great grandparents in India hundreds of years ago where my grandmother, an Indian women’s activist and politician, was the matriarch of the family.
After India-Pakistan Partition in 1947, his firm belief in the freedom of press did not waiver. Case in point - the Islam practiced by my family does not even remotely resemble the religion the terrorists of today follow. Thus, I take the liberty to totally separate myself from these evil perpetrators who attack humanity in the name of a religion.
Muslims will be under fire and backlash will increase and so will hate crimes against Muslims. Isn’t it time that every Muslim American came forward and openly denounced the terrorists, the ISIS, the bigoted policies of Wahabism, the abuse of minorities in the Muslim world, the oppression of women, and the intolerance that has permeated the Muslim world?
Excuses, apologies, verbal condemnation are not acceptable anymore. The wave of intolerance has permeated the Muslim communities both here in the US and in Europe and is growing. Every Muslim needs to do Jihad - speak up and throw out extremism and extremists from within and follow the true Islam of tolerance and respect for ALL.
(Anila Ali is a former candidate for State Assembly District 74 and well-known author, journalist and educator)
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