Enough with the mosques

By Zulfi Ahmed

The Dallas Morning News

My fellow Muslims, we have been labeled terrorists or terrorist sympathizes, a terrible indictment. It seems we are guilty until proved innocent. Now what?

Yes, we vehemently condemned the 9/11 attacks and subsequent Islamist terror. And still these acts brought a dark cloud of suspicion on us. We were going about our business enjoying the fruits of this great nation, working hard and providing for our families. Then we got sucker-punched by these Muslim terrorists who killed our fellow Americans, in the land that we love and respect and call home.

We did not want this. We did not pray for this. It should make us mad.

And it’s time to take action. Here are four things you can do:

Enough with the mosques.

By some estimates, there are more than 2,000 mosques in the U.S., including about 40 in North Texas. These are owned and built by you. There are only two charitable institutions in North Texas owned and built by Muslims.

Local Muslims have recently held two fundraising events: one for the Plano mosque expansion, which raised an astounding $1.8 million. The other was for a charitable entity that provides shelter for abused Muslim women that raised a disappointing $70,000. Put a moratorium on building houses of prayers and put your money in houses that give shelter, safety and hope to humanity.

The Quran mentions this world and the heavenly world the same number of times: 150. Refocus the mosques to take on charitable causes massively (the 72 virgins and stuff in the after-world is just a myth, and you know that.) Let salvation and rewards come through humanity and not just Mecca.

Got a neighbor?

I know you can throw a party. Biryani, falafel, shawarma, kabob – no one can turn down this food. Be the glutton that you are, but do it with your neighbor. God knows gluttony is your fellow American’s favorite sin, too. So open your home. The bonds formed by breaking bread together are never broken.

You know deep in your heart this is the most open and welcoming society in the world today. Trust me, once they get to know you they will like you. If all else fails, tell them you dislike Washington. This always breaks the ice.

Be local.

I know you love national and international politics, we all do. It is like a drug. But do you know the name of your mayor? Your city council member? State representative? Can you name three local charities in your city? (The American Red Cross does not count.) Do you know the president of your school board? Do you know there is a school board?

Get involved and get out. The five daily trips to the mosque and the weekend mall shopping do not count. You are the good guys, but people don’t know that, and they won’t unless you get out of your cocoons. Go vote, even if it is for Trump. (Ok I said it, and it took courage.) Become an electoral statistic.

Go to the movies.

I mean, lighten up. Yes, there is a lot of bad news coverage about you; it is the election cycle after all. So take your kids to a movie, take your spouse to lunch, invite your in-laws to visit, ok scratch that thought, stick with lunch with the spouse. Light up your house for Ramadan, Eid, Diwali, or Christmas. Do some fireworks on Independence Day. (Just don’t store fireworks or anything that goes bang in your house, at least for now, if you get my drift.)

Zulfi Ahmed is an insurance executive living in Plano, Texas. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.