islamophobia

I used to be asked this question in Pakistan as well: are you Pakistani first or Muslim first? Yet, it has always made me uncomfortable, it forces you to feel that the two: religious and national identity, are somehow mutually exclusive.

Profiling is here to stay. While fighting it is a noble cause, learning to deal with it is a daily requirement. Here are some tips to keep in mind to better prepare for "traveling while Muslim".

Sharia is not a word Muslims use on a daily basis in their lives. Actually, until the recent Sharia debate, most Muslim Americans may not have used this term more than a couple of times in their lives.

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.

Racism is the belief that one’s race, skin color, or more generally, one’s group, be it of religious, national or ethnic identity, is superior to others in humanity. It has been part of the American landscape primarily since the European colonization of North America beginning in the 17th century.

While Muslims love and deeply respect Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, others regularly heap abuse on him in ways that are very painful for Muslims to bear. This requires patience and fortitude.

Hate never limits itself to one stop. It keeps looking for the new targets. Just as KKK targets were not limited to African-Americans as it attacked Catholics, Jews and other immigrants, the current phase of hate, ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance is looking for new targets.