Source & Credit: Calgary Herald | June 25, 2010
By Latif Ahmed | Gilbert, Arizona
Re: "Worst human rights offenders condemn West," Licia Corbella, Opinion, June 19.
Licia Corbella's column was so right and made me feel embarrassed.
I was born in Pakistan and moved to the U.S. about 26 years ago. I was in my late teens in 1974 when Ahmadi Muslims, after years of covert and semi-covert persecution just because we believed in the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, became targets of attacks. Several thousand Ahmadi Muslims suffered loss of life or property. Our homes were burned down, properties destroyed, and careers ruined. I saw a change in the behaviour of my best friend who told me he could murder me.
When I moved to America, I found true freedom and I am thankful for that. We, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, sacrificed greatly for the foundation of Pakistan, but soon after, we were discarded and abuse started in earnest. Those who abuse us do not truly represent Islam. Their actions are absolutely un-Islamic. It is unfortunate, though, that the true Islamic message has limited opportunities to be available to Western societies.
The barrage of propaganda and actions of those who have only their personal interests at heart have shaped Western opinion about Islam.
In Muslim countries, these discriminatory practices forbid us from disseminating true Islamic teachings and in Western countries, our voices are drowned out by loud noises due to our limited access to media which mostly cover "explosive" events.
When my new friends in the West learn about true Islamic teaching, they will be well equipped to confront these hypocrites and help extinguish this flame of hatred and hypocrisy.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Message+stifled/3205156/story.html
Read original post here: Message stifled
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comments. Any comments irrelevant to the post's subject matter, containing abuses, and/or vulgar language will not be approved.