Recent Articles
Leftist Attacks On Barron Trump Reminiscent Of Jihadi Virtue Signaling
Originally Published with The Daily Wire The Left’s vicious attack on Barron Trump’s emotional reaction to a picture mocking his father’s beheading is not that different from the way Islamic extremists push children directly into the line of fire. While Americans from both sides of the divide came together to condemn the horrific mock visual of a […]
How Egypt Faces the “Perfect Storm” for Islamic Extremism
Originally Published with Gatestone Institute For a Western audience, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is a complex figure, who was shunned by the Obama administration. There appear truly pressing, immediate priorities in Egypt, such as developing the economy and combating the avalanche of extremist attempts to overthrow him. Among Middle East and North African territories, […]
Trump’s ‘Islam Speech’ Invited The Muslim World To A Renaissance
Originally published in The Federalist President Trump understands the most direct path to change is to work in people’s self-interest, to cater to advancement through mutual gain — a strategy that also won him the election. President Trump embarked on an iconic first foreign tour this weekend to the Middle East that started with […]
The American Muslims You Don’t See
Originally published with America Matters On First 100 Days, Fox News host Martha MacCallum brought together 8 diverse Muslims as part of a larger 22 member panel to talk about President Trump’s temporary travel ban. While the panel was passionate, the pre and post show dialogue reflected a softer side of American Muslims that often […]
The Sweet Confinement of Your Aloneness
Originally published with On Being. There are times when you find yourself completely surrendered to the power of a moment. David Whyte’s voice filled the air one morning, as wave after wave of sound was the siren song turning my head. This was one of those moments. I plunged into the abyss of his words. And in […]
“Kafir” Poem by Salman Haider
“Kafir” is one of the most stunning pieces of poetry, penned by Salman Haider. Kafir is a provocative and controversial term in Islam, meaning someone who knows the truth but rejects it; someone who covers up the truth. It is also a widely used term exploited to create division between Muslims and non-Muslims. Haider was one […]
New Zealand: First River in the World to be Given Legal Human Status
Humanity evolves when we broaden our understanding of what it means to be alive. What does it mean to be sentient, conscious, and alive? Making life about more than just ourselves is an important key step in elevating human consciousness and also getting people to care about conservation and resource protection. New Zealand took a […]
Noor Tagouri’s Hijabi Playboy Feature Births a Powerful New Alliance
Muslim darling Noor Tagouri made headlines last month when she featured in Playboy’s “Renegades of 2016” series about game changers who redefine how we think about the world. While the feature seemed bold and provocative, pairing of a bullet-ridden American flag with the edgy snarl of a hijab-clad young girl, in truth was a cliché […]
The Anatomy of a Prophet: My Response to Huffington Post Critics
Writing for Huffington Post, Amer Aziz submits a response article to my controversial House Homeland Security Committee Hearing on radical Islam, where I engage in a historical discussion on Prophet Muhammad and early Muslims. In typical fashion becoming of Muslims holding onto a crumbling identity under the pressure of free thought, Aziz writes: However, Shireen Qudosi, […]
Answering Questions From Muslim Traditionalists
I received a flood of inquiries and complaints from Muslim traditionalists after last week’s testimony at the House Homeland Security Committee Hearing on Radical Islam. The top complaint I hear is about my tone. To that, I say: You’ll see my tone and rhetoric shift depending on the audience and issue, but this is the […]
Is the Last Verse in the Quran its Most Powerful Message?
If happiness is a state of mind, we have to question how much control we really have over it when our mind is under the influence. Islam forbids intoxicants, of course. But there is an intoxicant more powerful and dangerous than drugs or alcohol: thoughts. Surah 114 An-Nas, the last Surah in the Qur’an, draws […]
The 8 Things I Keep Hearing From Muslims
As a Muslim Reformer, I get to hear from a patchwork of Muslims, especially in response to the more challenging public statements I make. Most recently, the statement that rattled many was the testimony and Q/A segment of a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Radical Islam. This is all part of the process, as […]
Is Malala’s Response to Modesty on the Beach a Form of Slut-Shaming?
“No disrespect to Malala, but this kind of dichotomy thinking where it’s all or nothing positions people against each other. A woman can wear whatever she wants but by saying she’s wearing “nothing” when she’s just wearing less, is another form of slut-shaming. Malala isn’t intentionally slut-shaming, but the language she uses still carries that […]
Why Are Islamists Rising as Scholars and Community Leaders?
In the ongoing struggle to balance Muslim-American rights with Muslim American accountability, there was a little known event that set a new landmark in the fight against Islamism. On March 25th, 2016, the Islamic Society of Wichita (ISW) canceled their fundraising event due to local community pressure. ISW planned on hosting guest speaker and professed […]
