Daily Blog - The Ghouse Diary

Happy Father’s Day 2020

Mike Ghouse June 14, 2020 Comments Off

Father’s Day is a great tradition to celebrate and honor the father. However, it is also a stressful day for many people. I feel the joy and the pain of both groups, here are some thoughts about each group.

First of all, my heart goes out to those who did not have a good relationship between father and children.

Secondly, I am grateful to my father, my role model, and a perfect father that everyone wishes to have. I am happy to see my son has become a good father to his three kids, and I share the joy of all those who were/are blessed with a good father.

One of my friends, a senior citizen, would always call on me to take him to the hospital, or the temple while he had two sons who did not have time for him. Perhaps, I was one of the few people with whom he shared his pain. He was going to write a book about it, but I advised him to find freedom in forgiving them. When he had a heart attack, everyone thought he would be gone. I pulled his son aside in the hospital and asked him to seek forgiveness from his father for specific situations he felt abused; obviously, he did not like it. I wish people learn to tie the loose ends of life and live with a clean slate.

I also know some adults who have endured their abusive fathers and have abandoned them. In one case, the girl in the family was touched inappropriately, and the boys were continuously screamed at, belittled, and even beaten up several times. What a shame! People miss out on the pleasure of respectful relationships.

Despite their abusive fathers, they have survived, and have determined to break the cycle and treat their kids well. Father’s Day is stressful for them, while others cherish their fathers; they struggle with mixed feelings of hate and the natural desire to have a father’s affection. It’s not easy, and there is no quick fix to it, other than reflecting on it and taking the responsibility to live a healthy life.

If you are the father, get over your arrogance; it keeps you from receiving the affection your kids want to give you. Seek forgiveness from your children for your shortcomings and promise them you would treat them as adults with dignity and respect. You can always restore life if you can shed the arrogance. Before you die, clean your slate and go in peace with your family around you.

And if you are the kid, I urge you to make a sincere effort in forgiving your father; it releases you from the pain, not forgiving him keeps you in eternal resentment and grief, and takes away your moments of joy from your life. You can be a good parent to your kids or be a big brother or a friend to others and fulfill what is missing in your life.

I urge the father to make the first move as he has made life miserable for everyone. Gratitude, repentance, and forgiveness are the essential elements in restoring one’s life and sustaining one’s tranquility and happiness. I wish people learn to tie the loose ends of life and live with a clean slate.

My father treated all of us kids with dignity, and I am pleased I got to be disciplined at least once in my life. I guess I replicated that with my children to the point my kids would say, Dad, you should have taught us. I did not see the need for it. I gave them the cold shoulder that my father had given me to straighten me out, and it worked.

*I was about ten years old and watched a man fall off his bicycle with his rice bag and was struggling to get back on it, and I wasn’t going to help him. Instead, I was laughing at him. I saw my father about 100 feet away, and the way he sped towards me got me frightened for the first time, I dashed inside the home, and a few minutes later after helping the guy, he came in looking for me. I climbed on top of the paddy bags in the corner of the house, and I thought he could not get me there. He went outside, plucked a long branch off the mulberry tree, and gave me a few good ones. “My son will never do that” after that conditioning, I have developed the habit of stopping for everyone who needs help.

What a joy it is when you do small things for others.

To those who have not had a father or had a negative experience, God has offered guidance through the instrument of forgiveness to release you from the pain. Just do it. I will be happy to be a big brother or even a father figure at the moment of your need. It’s an open offer to call me at (214) 325-1916, let’s keep it to 5 minutes. I have been doing this for the last 25 years, and I usually get a few calls, and I feel good about giving a shoulder to someone in need.

God bless us all, Happy Father’s Day. Dr. Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, community consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. Mike is deeply committed to Free speech, Human Rights, and Pluralism in Religion, Politics, Societies, and the workplace. He has dedicated his life to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. Mike’s info is at www.TheGhousediary.com.

Related Articles

Poisoning your kids – https://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-kids/
Poisoning your children – https://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-children/
Happy Father’s Day – https://theghousediary.com/happy-fathers-day-2020/
My Father was an Amin – https://theghousediary.com/my-father-was-an-amin/
Why I chose to live in all Black neighborhood – https://centerforpluralism.com/black-neighborhood-is-my-neighborhood/

God bless us all, Amen!

Also published at

Dr. Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, community consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. Mike is deeply committed to Free speech, Human Rights, and Pluralism in Religion, Politics, Societies, and the workplace. He has dedicated his life to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. More about him at www.TheGhousediary.com.

Insensitive Leadership

Mike Ghouse June 13, 2020 Comments Off

Republicans were choosing June 19 to be Trump’s first rally after the lockdown. It was not to challenge Juneteenth, but plain insensitiveness. They did not care, so they were not even aware of it.

Then choosing the convention date in Jacksonville on that date of massacre of the African Americans was the same stupidity – insensitiveness.

Hillary Clinton calling fellow Americans as deplorable was insensitiveness as well.

Even Obama, whom I admire as an inclusive and sensitive person, made the mistake of separating those who hang on to guns and Bibles.

Mitt Romney was separating people by calling them 47%, and it was insensitive.

As a community consultant, I have always advised my fellow Americans not to hold any interfaith meeting on Friday evening or on Saturday till sun-down. Be conscious of the people of other faiths about their festivities, congregations, and commemorations, and also be aware of the racial holidays like the Juneteenth or Native American holidays.

Whether you are Republican or a Democrat – if you care about fellow Americans, your language becomes sensitive and when you talk, it will be the language of inclusion and caring.

In Houston some six years ago, the high school basketball matches were set on a Saturday, not knowing Jewish athletes cannot participate on Sabbath – that was insensitiveness. I called in the talk radio and blasted them for their insensitivity. I believe it was the Michael Savage show.

Insensitiveness is speaking or doing things without caring about how others feel.

Dr. Sahar Khamis says, “But I am sure you agree with me that there is a HUGE difference between someone who makes a mistake ONCE and apologizes for it later, and someone who is by default not only “insensitive,” but also “offensive,” all the time!! Not sure how FAIR it is to draw such a comparison!

People in leadership positions need to care about fellow beings and be sensitive to others. If Trump and his minions were responsive, they would not have chosen these dates and potentially lose the votes of fellow Americans.

Do you know why the majorities (ethnic, national, racial, religious) are insensitive? Some by choice, and some by ignorance? They think everyone is treated the same way as they do and ignore or discount the mistreatment of their fellow beings as not truthful.

It is these insensitivities that create pain, anger, and injustice. Let me state this clearly, “My peace and tranquility hinges on the peace of people around me,” and “My safety is tied to the security of people around me.” It behooves me to build societies where all are secure; it guarantees my security.

Insensitiveness is defined by the dictionary as one’s the inability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment. Insensitivity. Crassitude, crassness – the quality of being crass–devoid of refinement.

At the Center for Pluralism, and we are committed to building cohesive societies where every American feels secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, nationality, or any other uniqueness. We conduct sensitivity training workshops, creating awareness of your surroundings, and becoming a person who cares. Your happiness comes from your ability to be sensitive. God has created us to be unique beings with our thumbprint, eyeprint, and DNA. Let’s honor God by respecting the uniqueness of each one of us. www.CenterforPluralism.com

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Indeed, blessed are the peacemakers.

Poisoning your kids – http://centerforpluralism.com/poisoning-your-kids/

Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, consultant, pluralist, activist, news maker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. www.TheGhousediary.com

Protests assure our freedoms

Mike Ghouse June 12, 2020 Comments Off

Without protests, the women would not have gotten the right to vote. Without protest, the domestic abuse laws would not have passed protecting women and children. Without protesting we would not have had the Civil Rights act, and without the act, none of the Asian and African immigrants would have made it to America and added to her prosperity.

The former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kickstarted the protest movement in 2016 when he knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and systemic racism.

The poll of the majority of Americans has this to say, “However, in the wake of nationwide demonstrations in support of Black Lives Matter and similar protests, a majority of Americans now agree that it is “OK for NFL players to kneel during the national anthem to protest police killings of African-Americans.” Now, 36 percent of respondents say it’s inappropriate to do so.

For the question “Is it OK for NFL players to kneel during the national anthem to protest police killings of African-Americans?” both male and female respondents agreed that it was, by a margin of 52 percent to 37 percent (male) and 52 percent to 34 percent (female). Younger respondents tended to be more favorable to the idea, with 68 percent of those 18-29 agreeing that it was. That number steadily declined to 36 percent of respondents over 65.”

Protests restrain the Presidents from becoming rogues. Imagine without protests what Nixon would have done, what would have happened to the Vietnam war, what Bush would have done further after destroying two nations for which we are still paying? Besides, what Trump has already done, what would he have done to the refugees on the border? The Muslim Ban? Our environment? Increased Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Xenophobia? Indeed, without protest, we would not have received our freedom from the colonial masters. We must honor the protestors; they are standing up for protecting our rights and saving our democracy.

Mike Ghouse

Defunding the Police

Mike Ghouse June 10, 2020 Comments Off

Reform is what is needed, and not defunding the police for the following reasons:

1. It is disrespectful to the majority of the police, yes, an overwhelming majority of the Cops are serving us with integrity. We cannot denigrate their service for the few ugly cops out there. To blame a group of people, you should have at least 51% of them to be wrong to brand a people.

2. There is no group, not a single civic, religious, ethnic, or social group that does not have bad men and women among them. They are always a tiny group. We have had bad presidents, corrupt clergy in all religions, bad politicians, evil CEO’s… Let’s not single out police.

The imaginary citizens policing will also have bad people in it. Even the perfect NASA had two accidents.

If the Defunding cry continues, I will write a full article and offer solutions to the Media and the politicians. I cannot imagine the chaos, murders, lynching and disorder without the police.

One of the solutions is for the Cops to take monthly quiz prepared to test the proclivities of the cops. If they score the right score, they can go back on the road or take reorientation class or plain remove them.

MIKE GHOUSE ACCIDENTALLY LED THE MCKINNEY PROTESTS REPORTED BY BREITBART https://www.breitbart.com/border/2015/06/09/god-is-going-to-heal-mckinney-says-local-pastor/

Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. www.TheGhousediary.com

The Confederate Statues – Robert Lee

Mike Ghouse June 10, 2020 Comments Off

THE CONFEDERATE STATUES MUST STAY – DON’T WHITEWASH THE HISTORY

We cannot whitewash history by wiping the ugly aspects of it. Good, bad, or ugly, the statues are a part of our history. It is a shame if we don’t preserve history. Whether it is the Holocaust, Genocide, or any atrocity, our ancestors have heaped on fellow humans, and we should not pretend that those things did not happen. How do we learn to deal with current issues, if we are blind to what was ugly?

I have debated the statutes coming down from Saddam Hussein to Robert E Lee’s, and I am pleased to offer a pluralistic solution.

Let the statues stay, and place a granite monument by the icon with an inscription, mentioning the reason the statue was there in the first place and how it is perceived today. Let’s be sincere, and tell the truth the reason they were installed in the first place, and how they are perceived today. Let the American people learn our history.

I hope our friends see the sanity in keeping the statues. It is sad to see the statutes of Robert E Lee, Saddam Hussein, Mahatma Gandhi, King Leopold II, and several others who are gone. What about the White House?

Nancy Pelosi calls to remove 11 statues representing Confederate Soldiers

“The statues which fill the halls of Congress should reflect our highest ideals as Americans. Today, I am once again calling for the removal from the U.S. Capitol of the 11 statues representing Confederate soldiers and officials. These statues pay homage to hate, not heritage.”

Madame Speaker (Nancy Pelosi), you’re mistaken, you are presenting falsities to the American Public by removing the statues. Those men and women are a part of our history, let them remain. Do you intend to remove Hitler from History books? Do you want to remove Cain from the Bible for killing his brother? Do you want to remove Jesus from the cross because we don’t do that now? Let’s deal with the realities of life and not whitewash history.

HBO Removes ‘Gone With the Wind’, Erasing First Black Woman to Win an Oscar

Removing “Gone with the wind” is wrong, however bad the slavery was; it was a part of our history. How does the future generation appreciate the long road to civility taken by the predecessors? We need to reflect on our history and enjoy it. I am glad I belong to the world now. The ultimate destination of civilization is when people learn to accept and respect the otherness of the other. More at https://summit.news/2020/06/10/hbo-removes-gone-with-the-wind-erasing-first-black-woman-to-win-an-oscar/?fbclid=IwAR1rgKMbwFK6FXTWpm0dSm_XT3aYvmz0LVtuEgnHmWizSdmxF9bfLm1sEms

Sam Madden, Board Member at the Center for Pluralism wrote the following

http://centerforpluralism.com/confederate-statues-and-the-history-of-the-united-states/?fbclid=IwAR16ndQNBIUq7xcgx3NIrj3aARVEDhieKaFHh3gajWoIeNdKCEevQ4i7WrA

Why we should leave the anti-semites standing?

https://unherd.com/2020/06/why-we-should-leave-the-anti-semites-standing/?fbclid=IwAR3T8D-BMkEmKrEwGYhqAaPIHmCO_YplDQV6z6bp2UCoCIjS5s0edrZvUeo

George Floyd and 4 momentous events in Black History

Mike Ghouse June 9, 2020 Comments Off

Four times in my lifetime, world events have brought tears of joy, not only to me but the entire world. The first one was when Nelson Mandela was walking out of prison in South Africa. The second one was the election of Barak Obama. The third one was the funeral procession of Muhammad Ali, and the fourth event is George Floyd’s funeral.

These lifetime events stand out in world history because the world came together for the first time for men who are are minorities but crossed the racial, ethnic, religious, and nationalistic boundaries.

Mandela was an exception, as he was not a minority. However, he was a minority within the majority and appealed to them to treat the white minority as equals. It worked. There was a similar event in history when Prophet Muhamad took over Mecca from his enemies without bloodshed. He made sure the conquerors treat the losers as fellow humans and nothing less, and it worked.

A few articles I wrote related to these events:

A MUSLIMS PRAYER FOR MANDELA
http://therecoveringpolitician.com/rp-nation/mike-ghouse-a-muslims-prayer-for-nelson-mandela

PRESIDENT OBAMA CHOKED ME WITH TEARS
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2008/11/president-obama-choked-me-with-tears.html

MUHAMMAD ALI
Searching for my article

GEORGE FLOYD, PROTESTORS, POLICE AND AMERICA

Facebook links
https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse2/videos/3181842545201125/
https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/286143999228019/?t=24
https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/286143999228019/?t=25

GEORGE FLOYD |TO TRUMP: KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

Fraud Reporting should be made easy.

Mike Ghouse June 9, 2020 Comments Off

As good citizens, we have to report fraud to prevent other people from being taken. Today, I am frustrated that I could not report an incident. First, I called the FBI (202) 278-2000 – as usual, layers of messages come thru, but the tone of the 2nd message gives the impression of a dead end. I forgot to turn the phone off, and a voice comes on with more messages. Finally, I got hold of a guy who says to go to ic3.gov – what a hassle? I could not report it even on that website. No wonder people don’t want to report bad incidents because of this hassle. But I am not

HERE IS THE STORY

I got a call if I can do a shopping survey for $350 compensation. I am well versed in shopping, particularly in the housing market, to see if there is discrimination. It was my cup of tea, and I agreed. I received a check for $1750 with instructions to go to Best Buy, Walmart, and another store and buy $1400 Gift Cards, and report back to them with the numbers and keep the $350.

They started calling and texting me if I have begun shopping. I responded that until the check clears through my bank, I will not buy the Gift Cards. They kept calling, and four days later, my bank returned the check. It happened once more as they had apologized for the mistake. That check did not clear either. I got the 3rd check, and instead of depositing, I called the bank if the cheque would clear, the banker said no, she asked me to send a copy of the check, and I did.

Then I called the FBI in vain to report this. No wonder people are reluctant to report the cases. I will not give up.

The fraud: If I had bought the Gift Cards – they would have cashed $1400.00, and if they did this to 100 people in a month, that would be $140,000 – I am sure several people are taken for this. This should be reported to prevent other people from being taken.

My actions: Go to my congresswoman and ask to take this up and possibly correct these:

Fix the FBI outgoing messages
reporting should be made easy
Cashing gift cards must be traceable.

Mike Ghouse

Racism and Islam

Mike Ghouse June 8, 2020 Comments Off

Given the problematic race relations we are facing now, I hesitantly heard the full Sermon of Dr. Imam Yasir Qadhi on Racism today, June 6th, and I recommend it wholeheartedly, it is one of the best speeches on race relations. I used the word hesitantly because Dr. Qadhi had made flagrant statements about Jews in the past. Of course, he has apologized since then. The links for all the references are at the bottom of the article.

A few key points about his sermon following the video

He traces the story of racism to Pharaoh -indeed, whenever a group of people believes that they are more privileged than the other, it amounts to racism.

Dr. Qadhi narrates the story of Hazrat Bilal (the freed slave) flawlessly. A few people were considering joining the Prophet’s faith, but had a race problem and snidely asked the Prophet to keep Bilal out of the meeting. The Prophet was committed to building cohesive societies and did not believe in exclusion, and instead requested Bilal to call on the prayer (Adhan) from the top of the Kaaba. He wanted to assert that no one is superior to the other. He chose to do the right thing than compromise on the value of equality. It reminded me of the dilemma Abraham Lincoln faced 1100 years later and decided against politics and made the right decision to declare emancipation of slaves. They were two of the key historical figures who stood against slavery. There is a lot more power to this story and will write another time.

Dr. Qadhi talks about verse 49:13 – that came through Gabriel. God has created all of us from one single couple and spread us into different races, communities, and nations. He could have added that the best one among us is the one who learns about each other, knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance of the otherness of the other. By the way, the anthropologists have discovered in the last fifty years that we all originated in Africa and spread out into different regions and created nations and communities.

Qadi does well on emphasizing that the Prophet dedicated 1/5th of his speech on race relations in his very last sermon.

Imam Qadhi talks about what we can do as Muslims – to stand up against oppression against anyone and everyone. He suggested standing with the Black community. I wonder if he would also stand with the LGBTQ community.

Critique:

He uses the phrase, “This country” I wish he instead uses the phrase “Our Country” I hope you can see the difference between the two.

Idol worship – Why are we hung up on this? Islam did not emerge to wipe Idol worship; instead, it came to bring people together on the concept of the unity of humanity and integrity of the universe and oneness of God.

I accept the sheepishness in some Muslims who swallow everything dished out to them if the big-name scholars are ascribed. It goes against the grain of Islam -that is to Iqra, read, understand, and accept. After all, you are responsible for your acts and not the Imams, and not even the Prophet. Islam places great emphasis on accountability and individual responsibility.

Thank God for guiding me to be a doer and not a talker. He has guided me to (links are provided below for all the items):

Standing up for others – everyone out there.

As a Muslim, I have prayed in Mosques of all major denominations and looking forward to going to Najaf and Karbala to embrace Muslims completely.

Friday prayers, I alternate between African Americans and all other Mosques.

Now in the last three years, I live in an all-Black neighborhood.

Imam Yasir Qadhi’s words against Jews
http://centerforpluralism.com/imam-yasir-qadhis-disgusting-words/

Muslim Scholars of the past Presented Islam incorrectly
https://theghousediary.com/muslim-scholars-presented-islam-incorrectly/

The Source of Muslim Extremism
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-source-of-muslim-extremism_b_57843863e4b04041a9858324

Standing up for others
http://www.standingupforothers.com

Visiting Mosques of all denominations
http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/

Black Neighborhood is my neighborhood
http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/

Dr. Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is deeply committed to Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Pluralism in Religion, Politics, Societies, and the workplace, and to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. Book information is at www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com and his info at www.TheGhousediary.com

Books on Islam and Muslims worth reading

Mike Ghouse June 7, 2020 Comments Off

If you are serious about building a cohesive America where every American feels secure about his faith, ethnicity, race or other uniqueness, these books are for you.

Corona Virus will kill thousands of people and wither away as soon as a vaccine comes along. However, the killer virus of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia does not have a cure yet, one is at least 2000 years old, and the other is 1400 years.

A small percentage of the population is vulnerable to this disease. Each of the afflicted ones has unresolved personal issues and found it convenient to unload their frustrations on someone or the other. Facts don’t matter to them.

Interactions with the Islamophobes and Anti-Semites have been fruitful, but only to a small extent. Some of them legitimately subscribe to the myths about Jews and Muslims, many of them spew their venom for money. Yet some fall into the trap of monkey see monkey do, just the gawkers on the roads do. We have to continue to work on mitigating this virus.

One way to counter this virus is by placing the right books in the hands of these men and women. The majority of the virus inflicted men and women may consider, except those whose money-making comes from hatred.

We hope the following books will make a difference and pull out at least some of the men and women from misery.

The following books are available on Amazon, kindle and other book stores

Our Muslim Neighbors—Achieving the American Dream
Author: Victor Begg
Website: https://ourmuslimneighbors.com/

It’s the story of a young man who achieves his dreams in a new country and becomes an “accidental activist” building interfaith coalitions and advocating inclusion. Begg’s story provides a window into the family, community, and spiritual values of ordinary families—values they share with fellow Americans.

Getting to know our neighbors is one way to allay Islamophobia. Begg believes in the power of directly talking to one another. Our Muslim Neighbors is an invitation to conversation, “to learn about each other beyond the vicious stereotypes.” It’s an effort to help readers get to know the Muslim Americans next door: their dreams, fears, and a misunderstood faith.

The Qur’an with references to the Bible
Authors: Safi Kaskas and David Hungerford

Hungerford and Kaskas noted that they discovered more than 3,000 verses in the Quran that have similar meanings and purposes in the Bible. Hence, they set out to place biblical references at the bottom of each relevant page in the Quran.

Drs. Kaskas’ and Hungerford’s underlying motivation for the translation and inclusion of the extensive footnotes were not intended to promote a particular school of Islam or Christian apologetics. These exist in abundance.

Their goal is to build bridges of better understanding, undermine radicalism, and enlighten ignorance. This powerful instrument offers Muslims and Christians a fresh insight on the “straight path” to reconciling with God and man; sorely needed and missing from other translations.

They’re hoping that the book will help to dispel the “ignorance” that they see when it comes to the ongoing friction between the two groups; they’re also hoping the Quran edition helps spark “an open discussion.”

Hadith: The Authority Issue and How it Affects Muslim Beliefs and Practices
Authors: Abdur Rab and Siraj Islam

The Hadith never enjoyed unquestioned scriptural authority. This book is a systematic attempt to chronicle challenges to its authority in early Islam and introduce modern-day critics, summarizing their positions. It then provides theological underpinnings that call into question the authority and the authenticity of the Hadith corpus.

More importantly, the book offers a detailed analysis of egregious Hadith that contradict the Quran, science, or reason and negatively affect Muslim beliefs and practices. The disturbing content of the Hadith has made Islam a religion of ridicule and the staple of the Islamophobes who use the most egregious Hadith to paint Islam as a fanatic, violent, and misogynistic faith.

website: http://quranonly.com/

My Story as a Muslim Immigrant in America:
Psychiatry, Social Activism, and Service

Author: Dr. Basheer Ahmed

Basheer Ahmed’s remarkable life is rooted in fertile soil that cultivated a passion for learning and a desire to give back to the world. But this man wasn’t created all at once. Ahmed’s amazing story spans many decades, continents, cultures, and languages, and serves as a testament to the interconnectedness of all people.

Inspired by his mother’s academic pursuits, Ahmed launched an epic journey for his education. He left India for Pakistan, then the United Kingdom, and the United States, where he immigrated to practice psychiatry in 1968. Along the way, he started a family and devoted himself to teaching and service to reinvest the spiritual riches life had bestowed upon him.

With honesty and warmth, Ahmed shares his story in the hope that future generations may find fertile soil, value education and spirituality, and grow up in a world full of love and acceptance.

American Muslim Agenda:
Muslims Together, building a Cohesive America.

By Dr. Mike Ghouse

The American Muslim Agenda, is a primer, a blueprint, a roadmap for American Muslims. As a community, American Muslims have not developed any concrete plans to extricate themselves from the chaotic situations, hostility, and incessant Islamophobic rhetoric we face. Each time a terrorist acts out, we start praying and wishing that the terrorist not be a Muslim. We are Americans, and we can do better than that.

This book paves the way for us to own the mistakes we have made, remedy them, and become fully integrated Americans. I have some success stories to share on that front. When we start defending America and American values, we are in! We become an integral part of the American Fabric.

The book closes with the chapter about electing a Muslim woman president of the United States in 2036 and lays the pathway to get there. More about the book at www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com

Muslim Scholars presented Islam incorrectly

Mike Ghouse June 6, 2020 Comments Off

A few Muslims swallow everything; they will not criticize what is dished out to them by the scholars of the past and elevate them to be divine and almost equal their work with the Quran. On top of it, they are hell-bent on criticizing those who question some of the stances of these scholars.

You will find not only blind among Muslims, but also others in every group of people, religious, social, political, or otherwise. The majority is not blind, they ask questions.

No one and nothing is beyond criticism; that is why God has endowed us with the ability to question, read (Iqra), understand, and accept. Thanks to the creator, my understanding of Islam, Tauheed, Prophet, and the Quran developed from severely criticizing it. Today, I am a confident Muslim, not based on the dished-out belief, but based on seeing the value and wisdom of what Islam presents. When I see something about Islam does not make sense, I know it is not Islam but the corrupted version of Islam.

Two years ago, Imam Mohamed Magid was upset with me for criticizing Muslim scholars of the past who screwed up the understanding of Islam and presented a wrong version. My article was: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-source-of-muslim-extremism_b_57843863e4b04041a9858324

A week later we met again on the west of Capitol Hill to speak at Muslim March – he told me, I don’t know what to say to you now anymore, Hamza Yousuf has written a similar article like yours. Yousuf wrote, https://seekersguidance.org/articles/prophetic-guidance/plague-within-hamza-yusuf/.

I have criticized Dr. Yasir Qadhi for his disturbing non-Islamic take on Jews. He was wrong, and I am glad later on, he apologized. Once again, it was not him, it was the rote learning he received from the schools he went to learn. Today, I came across this video by Memri. https://www.memri.org/reports/american-islamic-scholar-based-texas-sheikh-yasir-qadhi-defends-antisemitic-comments-memri

In this piece, Qadhi fleetingly mentions the hadiths written about 1200 years ago, literally alluding to that those men made a mistake. He did not, however, expand on that. One of the Muslim Scholars, Mohammad Yunus, justified some of the books written by those scholars as a response to the situation. What we have failed to do was accept that “timely but incorrect response” as gospel.

I urge Muslims to be bold- Condemn what is wrong and praise what is good without hesitation, no matter who it is. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was criticized by his associates, but he did not scold them to shut up, nor the others silenced them. Islam is about learning.

If it is not common sense, then it is not Islam.

Mike Ghouse is author of the book, American Muslim Agenda available at Amazon and the book stores – the book is about common sense, Islam.