Persecution in the past
Qais Ahmadi
Issue date: 9/4/08 Last update: 9/3/08 at 11:09 PM PST
Section: OpEd
I was a victim of religious persecution on a sunny spring day at the College of Alameda.
It happened as I was walking towards the campus library and saw two male students glancing at me in awe and speaking in a very low volume. As a beard-wearing practicing Muslim who has submitted peacefully in absolute worship of the Almighty Creator, I know they were slandering me because of my religion.
Also, I learned about their heavy reliance on sensational media outlets upon hearing the comments they made about me. Apparently, they view any bearded Middle Eastern man with suspicion of being a terrorist.
As far as I am concerned, I've let my beard grow as an act of worship. All of the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them) of the Almighty Creator were commanded to let their beards grow. Naturally, it was also the tradition of the final Messenger, a descendant of the Prophet Abraham, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib.
I'm acting upon an authentic narration by a companion of the Prophet, Abdullah Ibn Umar, which states that Prophet Muhammad said, "Be different from the polytheists, trim the moustache and let the beard grow."
Narrow-minded and uninformed people about the religion of Islam are my usual oppressors.
Perhaps I'll never forget the time when two people driving past me in a car yelled out slurs while I was standing in front of a popular Afghani restaurant in Fremont, Calif. Anyone on the block could easily hear their malicious words.
The religion of Islam is free from all acts of terror that are attributed to it. Muslims are forbidden from cutting down trees, let alone the cutting down of innocent people! The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has forbid the unnecessary cutting down of lotus trees because of the shade it provides for people and animals.
It has been authentically narrated by the wife of the Prophet, Aisha (peace be upon her), that the Prophet Muhammad said, "Those who cut down lotus trees will be thrown headfirst into Hellfire.
It happened as I was walking towards the campus library and saw two male students glancing at me in awe and speaking in a very low volume. As a beard-wearing practicing Muslim who has submitted peacefully in absolute worship of the Almighty Creator, I know they were slandering me because of my religion.
Also, I learned about their heavy reliance on sensational media outlets upon hearing the comments they made about me. Apparently, they view any bearded Middle Eastern man with suspicion of being a terrorist.
As far as I am concerned, I've let my beard grow as an act of worship. All of the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them) of the Almighty Creator were commanded to let their beards grow. Naturally, it was also the tradition of the final Messenger, a descendant of the Prophet Abraham, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib.
I'm acting upon an authentic narration by a companion of the Prophet, Abdullah Ibn Umar, which states that Prophet Muhammad said, "Be different from the polytheists, trim the moustache and let the beard grow."
Narrow-minded and uninformed people about the religion of Islam are my usual oppressors.
Perhaps I'll never forget the time when two people driving past me in a car yelled out slurs while I was standing in front of a popular Afghani restaurant in Fremont, Calif. Anyone on the block could easily hear their malicious words.
The religion of Islam is free from all acts of terror that are attributed to it. Muslims are forbidden from cutting down trees, let alone the cutting down of innocent people! The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has forbid the unnecessary cutting down of lotus trees because of the shade it provides for people and animals.
It has been authentically narrated by the wife of the Prophet, Aisha (peace be upon her), that the Prophet Muhammad said, "Those who cut down lotus trees will be thrown headfirst into Hellfire.
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