LETTER Building bridges, not walls
Social unrest is now the narrative of the day, a new “order” that extremists are dictating for the world to follow. As we ease into our new year, the Grinch is always lurking around the corner, ever ready to pounce with a rude surprise.
A church was attacked earlier this month by suicide bombers in Pakistan, killing nine innocent people. Fundamentally, terrorists who have hijacked Islam as a cover for their crimes are unaware that Islam forbids suicide and calls for the protection of churches and place of worship.
As Ahmadi Muslims in America, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We are thankful that members of all faiths can celebrate in peace and without fear of persecution. In this spirit, we share in the good cheer of these holidays and appreciate how our fellow Americans embrace Muslims during our holidays of Ramadan and Eid.
Last year, the Ahmadi Muslim youth auxiliary all across the U.S. gave out thousands of holiday gifts to our neighbors in communities surrounding our mosques. We continued the tradition this year, as we seek to build bridges, not walls.
Nayyar Ahmed
Pittsburgh
Ahmed is a postdoctoral research associate at Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh, and a member of the Muslim Writers Guild of America.