Parvez Ahmed

Freedom of thought and belief is repeatedly emphasized in the Quran. We cannot be free and we cannot make others free if we do not work to uphold the freedoms that so many of us take for granted.

Train your heart to feel compassion for the people, to love them and be kind to them. Do not behave like a ferocious beast toward them, snatching away their sustenance, for the people are of two categories: they are your brothers in religion and/or your fellow human beings.

Religious consciousness is not possible without a social ethic. To be a person of faith requires that we be immersed to working for social justice and social good. Prophet Muhammad did not just immerse himself in dhikr. To the contrary he served Allah by serving his fellow human beings.

"Obama is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is - what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America."