Although you have done nothing wrong, in an Islamophobic environment where 59% of our neighbors hold a negative opinion of Islam and Muslims, Islamophobes will be enjoying their non-stop commentary to continue to blame Muslims.
In Islam, the safety, security, and respect for ambassadors and diplomats is of utmost importance, and violating these rules carries serious penalties. This is why the spiraling violence directed at Western embassies in a number of Muslim countries is absolutely opposed to Sharia.
This open letter to Anwar Awlaki was written as a response to his promotion of terrorism, in particular the 2008 Fort Hood killings, which he praised. It is an attempt to offer a point-by-point rebuttal. If left unchallenged, it is possible that some other youth who respect him as an Islamic scholar may act on his false theology of anger.
Our society is moving toward greater polarization, and more needs to be done to mediate anger and hate in our country. The bloodshed is a stark reminder that we need mercy more than ever as hate, anger, and intolerance rise around the world.
For someone whose name was going to be "peace", Salam died under violent circumstances.
It had been barely 24 hours after the terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. In the wake of the shock and pain of seeing employees, and most heartbreakingly, children from the daycare there, being carried out covered in blood, came the fury at the attackers.