Pakistan’s Sikh-Muslim duo want to fight religious intolerance by reviving Punjabi culture

With religious intolerance on the rise in Pakistan, two men have taken it upon themselves to unite people around common cultural roots. Every other weekend, Nasir Dhillon and his friend Bhupinder Singh pack up their bags and travel across the dirt roads of rural Punjab for one purpose, and this to preserve their ancestor’s cultural history by interviewing the ‘displaced generation’. The generation which lived through the India-Pakistan partition of 1947. Partition of British India resulted in the largest mass …

Sami Odeh – The singer from Haifa making waves in the Arab world

Arab-Israeli singer Sami Odeh is quickly becoming a rising star in the Middle East. 24-year-old Sami who grew up in the small neighborhood of Kababir, Haifa has already caught the attention of millions with his music and covers of popular Arabic songs which he regularly posts on his Instagram. His recent song ‘Qet3a Minne‘ which was released in January has already amassed over a million views on YouTube and is gaining popularity on Anghami, the Arab equivalent of Spotify. This …

Pakistani court orders list of people who left Islam

On Monday a Pakistani court ordered the country’s national citizen database to handover list of individuals who left Islam and requested a change of religion with the department. The High Court court of Pakistani capital Islamabad ordered Pakistan’s Citizen Authority (NADRA) to provide detailed information on an estimated 10,000 Pakistani citizens who are believed to have changed their religion from Islam to Qadiani [Ahmadiyya]. The court also directed the citizen authority to include their age, names of their parents and …

Muslim groups cite first amendment in defense of ‘extremist’ event

Muslims groups have defended their decision to host a hate conference which called for the use of force against ‘non-Muslims’. CAIR executive director also spoke out in defense of the organizers. A week earlier Rabwah Times through covert video and audio recordings revealed how speakers at an Islamist conference in Virginia called for the use of force against ‘non-Muslims’ and urged American Muslims to not vote for ‘Non-Muslim’ candidates. The sister organizations Idara Dawat Idara Dawat-O-Irshad Inc and Khatme Nubuwwat …

Pakistani-American Muslims call for restrictions against ‘non-Muslims’

Pakistan born Islamic cleric Rafiq Khan defined America as “The land of Infidels” at a fundraiser for his Islamic charity this Saturday. The event which was held at a Holiday Inn in Springfield, Virginia attracted over 100 participants. Speakers included an Islamist from Pakistan as well as radical Imams from the states of Maryland, Virginia, and Texas. The conference revolved around the topics of Jihad, Infidels and what can the American Muslim community do to counter conspiracies against Islam. We went …

Pakistani Shia cleric warns of dangers posed by Baha’is & Ahmadis

A Pakistani Shia leader has warned that the public and the government should be made aware of the “dangers” posed by Baha’is and Ahmadis. Shia cleric Allama Iqbal Bahishti urged the Government to be watchful of the ‘heretic’ Baha’is & Ahmadis. Allam Iqbal Bahishti who is the provincial secretary-general of Pakistan’s largest Shiite political organization the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) made the comments while speaking to members of the press on November 11. Bahishti said: The Islamic world was split into two …

Ahmadiyya leader welcomes Indian PM Modi to Israel along with Israeli PM Netanyahu

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Tuesday, He was greeted by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with representatives of various communities including the Ahmadiyya. The welcoming party at Tel Aviv airport was made up of various leaders from all over Israel, which included representatives of the Druze, Bahais and the Ahmadiyya. The President of the Israeli chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Muhammad Sharif Odeh greeted the Indian PM alongside Israeli PM Netanyahu and …

Pakistan: Men sentenced to three years in prison for “Excessive use of Quran”

A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced two men to three years in prison for “Excessive use of Quran” The two men, Idris Ahmed and SabaulZafar were charged with”excessive use of Quran and Islamic literature” along with illegal possession of the Islamic Holy book. Both men were given a three-year prison sentence and fined PKR 50,000 (USD 475) by the anti-terrorism court. The men who belong to the minority Ahmadiyya community were arrested by Pakistan’s security forces in December last year during …

America: Journalist told to stop filming in Mosque as it’s ‘Sinful’

U.S. Mosque-goers tried to forcibly stop a journalist from filming inside a Mosque after claiming it was sinful. Journalist Aziz Ahmed was at the Darul Huda Mosque in Springfield, Virginia to cover the beginning of Ramadhan when he was forcefully stopped by Mosque-goers from filming within the Mosque. Ahmed posted the video of the confrontation on his Facebook in which Mosque members can be seen telling Ahmed to stop filming. The video you made of people praying, you should delete …

Israel appoints its first female Muslim diplomat

Rasha Atamny has become the first Muslim woman to be appointed as an Israeli Diplomat. According to The Times of Israel, The Israeli Foreign Ministry appointed Rasha Atamny to represent the Jewish state in Ankara, Turkey, making her Israel’s first female Muslim diplomat. 31-year-old Atamny is currently completing the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s cadet course, and will serve as the first secretary in the Israeli Embassy in Ankara. “I believe in peace because I believe that people can make a positive difference …

5 Facts about Dulmial Mosque which was targeted by a Muslim Mob

In December last year, a mob of over 3,000 Muslims attacked a small Mosque in Northern Pakistan. The incident gained worldwide attention as people wondered why would Muslims attack a Mosque? Here’s what you need to know about the Mosque and why it was attacked. 1.  The Mosque locally known as Darul Zikar is located in the village of Dulmial Village in Punjab, Pakistan and has been used as a house of prayer by the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 2. …

A Pakistani’s American Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am reminded of the many reasons why I am thankful. The concept of gratitude in the US began for us five and a half years back when we left Pakistan and came to America. The very first time I stepped on US soil, it felt like my mother took me in her arms. America became our new adopted homeland because life in Pakistan for us became too dangerous. The horrific day came upon us on …