“To be an American is to be someone with access to tremendous opportunities and freedom. Our nation is founded on a pluralistic belief that together we are better and stronger than apart,” says Shakila Ahmad, the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati (ICGC)’s president and board chair.
She adds, “It doesn’t mean our nation is perfect. There are struggles we must overcome, but we’re making progress…there is no better place in the world.” Born in Pakistan, at age three, her family moved to Indiana so her father could continue his graduate studies at Indiana University. When she was nine her the family moved to Cincinnati. Like her parents, she pursued higher education and graduated from the University of Cincinnati McMicken College of Arts …show more content…
Whether it was two days ago, two years ago, or 200 years ago, it doesn’t this change fact.” She further explains, how the forefathers, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, saw the beauty of a pluralistic society of immigrants. “It has since been our uniqueness and strength throughout the world.”
It saddens Ahmad the way her faith has been twisted, distorted far beyond what the Prophet Mohammad and the Koran teaches. “It’s inappropriate to label a global religion of 1.6 billion people with the nonsensical term ‘Islamic terrorist.’” She said it’s evidenced by the equally nonsensical terms ‘Christian terrorist’ or ‘Jewish terrorist.
Perhaps the greatest misperception about Muslims is a single word shrouded by confusion and fear — jihadism. Widely used, though inaccurately, by politicians, mass media as well as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Diane Morgan’s book, “Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice,” asserts the Arabic term is to strive faithfully on the path or cause of Allah, spiritually and physically.” She writes that it is not out-and-out warfare. “The opposite of jihad is not peace, it is idleness,” says Morgan.
Ahmad
She adds, “It doesn’t mean our nation is perfect. There are struggles we must overcome, but we’re making progress…there is no better place in the world.” Born in Pakistan, at age three, her family moved to Indiana so her father could continue his graduate studies at Indiana University. When she was nine her the family moved to Cincinnati. Like her parents, she pursued higher education and graduated from the University of Cincinnati McMicken College of Arts …show more content…
Whether it was two days ago, two years ago, or 200 years ago, it doesn’t this change fact.” She further explains, how the forefathers, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, saw the beauty of a pluralistic society of immigrants. “It has since been our uniqueness and strength throughout the world.”
It saddens Ahmad the way her faith has been twisted, distorted far beyond what the Prophet Mohammad and the Koran teaches. “It’s inappropriate to label a global religion of 1.6 billion people with the nonsensical term ‘Islamic terrorist.’” She said it’s evidenced by the equally nonsensical terms ‘Christian terrorist’ or ‘Jewish terrorist.
Perhaps the greatest misperception about Muslims is a single word shrouded by confusion and fear — jihadism. Widely used, though inaccurately, by politicians, mass media as well as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Diane Morgan’s book, “Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice,” asserts the Arabic term is to strive faithfully on the path or cause of Allah, spiritually and physically.” She writes that it is not out-and-out warfare. “The opposite of jihad is not peace, it is idleness,” says Morgan.
Ahmad