Sohail Ahmad

Sharing my thoughts on religion, philosophy, and society; often as they relate to truth claims espoused by my former religion.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

It's been a long time coming. I have several new articles that were held to go out with my video. They have now been released. All of them. This video is my coming out message.

Peace and love to you all; whatever religion you may believe or not believe.

https://t.co/xNx5XJgJf5

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

These are dark days for journalism, indeed.

[Rana Ayyub @RanaAyyub]

This is what an Emmy awards acceptance speech looks like. Kudos

[Kashif Chaudhry @KashifMD]

Imagine urging the world to normalize relations with Germany while the genocide of the Jews was underway.

I support normal relations between Arab countries and Israel. But not at the expense of Palestinian self-determination. Not while Israel denies Palestine its right to exist as a free and sovereign people. And certainly not while Israel maintains a brutal occupation and perpetrates genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Under current conditions, I strongly oppose signing or expanding the Abraham Accords with Israel.

To normalize relations while Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza is a betrayal of our shared humanity. It is a betrayal of our shared Abrahamic values. It is an insult to Abraham.

It rewards impunity, abandons justice, and sets a dangerous precedent: that normalization can proceed even in the face of mass atrocity and the denial of a people’s fundamental rights.

[Rand Paul @RandPaul]

When the establishment spends $2.5 million to take out one congressman, you know he's doing something right. Stand with @MassieforKY and join the Massie Money Bomb.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

I've had a few friends send me this news item, seeing 'Ahmadi' in the title.

FYI - the 'Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light' has nothing to do with the 'Ahmadiyya Muslim Community' (whose members are referred to as Ahmadi Muslims).

https://t.co/Izpl0DrtmP

[The Telegraph @Telegraph]

🚨 BREAKING: Members of a religious sect have been arrested over allegations of sex offences, forced marriage and modern slavery.

More than 500 police officers from a number of forces took part in a raid on the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light headquarters in Crewe on Wednesday morning.

🔗: https://t.co/8vhNLoVRob

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

The Old Testament is full of immorality (including a license of genocide). Here, Alex O'Connor relays just a glimpse of this.

Remember the 'God' who authored it is the SAME moral monster underpinning the apparent about face of the New Testament that underpins Christianity.

[么 ꜱ ᴀ ᴍ ꪜ, @___TheGOOdWitch]

Ben Shapiro realising he's not as smart as he thinks he is😅

Alex is a gem❤️

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Chuck Schumer has got to go.

Appealing to 2000+ year old mythological claims and divine real estate grants to reconcile modern geopolitics.

Religious appeals like this are poison for the peace and security of our global society and humanity.

[Mel @Villgecrazylady]

“There’s no peace in the Middle East bc Palestinians refuse to believe in the Torah. The Torah says it’s our [Jews] land. And that’s why America must always stand with Israel.”

Wow. He just came right out and said it.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

I think we've been talking past each other, Rabbi.

I don't believe a secret cabal of Rabbis is controlling the US president.

As an ex-Muslim who's seen various degrees of casual anti-semitism in the Islamic world and criticized this phenomenon, I agree that the depiction of that particular scene in the video is a trope.

It's difficult to depict AIPAC/adjacent billionaires in the scene, and so I'm sure the Iranian regime went for the easily recognizable caricature that you correctly identify as inaccurate for Chasidic Jews.

Respectfully, I don't believe antisemitism is the focal point of the meme video or of the geopolitical crisis (I say this as someone who would love to see the theocratic regime in Iran removed, if that could be done without mass civilian casualties).

Your focus on antisemitism seems to discredit the actual criticisms in the video that the American public should be concerned about (the Israel government's incredibly strong influence over US policy, despite this war not being 'America First', the Epstein class and cover ups, etc.)

Journalism requires talking to the enemy, interviewing them, and letting our people know what they're saying about us. The electorate needs to be informed and encouraged to use their own critical thinking.

It is patriotic to challenge one's own current government when they are violating their own promises to the nation, and their own constitution. The right to protesting, our freedom of speech, and other cherished rights are curtailed if we're "forbidden" to evaluate all sides. Without those freedoms, it's no longer a meaningful democracy.

IMHO, Drop Site has been excellent in reporting on conflicts in the Middle East.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@Mottel @DropSiteNews Correction: "just because some Jewish..."

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Just become some Jewish people support Zionism and the Israeli regime does not make the political criticism of Israeli policy and actions 'antisemitic'.

You cheapen the legitimate scourge of antisemitism with this conflation. You dishonour those brave Jewish people who reject zionism.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Islamic culture has had a casual to moderate antisemitic ethos for several centuries now, predating the existence of modern Israel or even Zionism.

That doesn't mean criticism of Israel by Muslims is necessarily on antisemitic grounds. But "the Jews" are referred to in the Qur'an in a way that very plausibly lends itself to a disparaging, suspicious reading of Jewish people generally.

Most educated Muslims who integrate well in the West, even if religious, tend not to read into the tropes the scripture and traditions give them an opening to. I think Mayor Mamdani is one of those inclusive progressives who integrated well (whatever you think of his economic policies) and is the kid of modern, integrated Muslim we want to encourage.

Many such Muslims take a very progressive view, just as the Judeo-Christian world can distance itself from the savagery of the Old Testament.

In my personal experience, however, that cultivation of progressive values and readings is fragile and tends to erode when immigration in the West is too concentrated, too fast, or not selective enough.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

I agree with you 💯 that "Immigrants should contribute to a country, not just take from it." I didn't get the impression from Shadi's tweet, however, that he believes differently.

My own reading of his "shouldn't depend on anything" was more of a style of phrasing, which I'm charitably interpreting as things like expecting one to change one's religion.

Agreed, that phrase is dangerously broad if read literally. I suspect in a conversation, you'd both probably find more agreement as you talked through the specifics.

I haven't ever read anything from Shadi implying immigrants should be entitled to take from a country and not contribute to it (but happy to be directed to material that might imply this sentiment that you rightly take issue to).

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Sometimes, through comedy, we are presented with a deeply thought provoking conundrum.

[Lord Bebo @MyLordBebo]

🐣 Terminator saves Jesus, an instant Easter classic.

Happy Good Friday y’all!

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@alfkkifine Spot on.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@VintageFreeMind @HyderMahmood By the way, @VintageFreeMind, I wanted to thank you for your cordial and honest interaction. That doesn't happen often, and I should have acknowledged it earlier, b/c it is not common.

I am grateful for the kind interaction, even as we have different points of view. 🙏

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Announcements of ex-communication of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for marrying outside the community (or for their adult children marrying outside the community).

Why not a private removal to only the affected individuals? /1

[Inda Mawneeng @inda_mawneeng]

@malang4ever this is so shameful.

ahmadis torture their own by excommunicating them.

ahmadis lives are dispensable.

such scare tactics do not create love. it creates fear in the dictatorship...and thus obedience.

@ReasonOnFaith

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

I used to have this same view, but it never sat well with me. The God of Islam, according to this view, has been trolling his creation: allowing them to believe in so many ways that there are no more prophets instead of going out of His way to give clear statements in the Qur'an to expect them.

Not 'read between the lines and if you squint, you can see more prophets could come', but something clear.

Once one allows themselves to think outside this box of inherited religion, these reflections and insights come quickly.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Your statement implicitly categorizes other Muslims who believe in Muhammad, Allah, and the Qur'an as "outside of the faith".

Do you understand how this has created the cycle of takfir, formalized in your faith?

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

Let me paraphrase for clarity. According to your understanding of Islam, if an Ahmadi Muslim woman married a Sunni Muslim or Shia Muslim man, that act is both "sinful" and "immoral".

I appreciate your clarity. And now others can evaluate Ahmadiyyat without the double speak.

[Adam Insaan @VintageFreeMind]

@ReasonOnFaith @TayyabUMahmood In terms of ahmadi muslim faith and its commandments, answer would be yes if a woman married an outsider.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@VintageFreeMind @TayyabUMahmood Let me paraphrase for clarity. According to your understanding of Islam, if an Ahmadi Muslim woman married a Sunni Muslim or Shia Muslim man, that act is both "sinful" and "immoral".

I appreciate your clarity. And now others can evaluate Ahmadiyyat without the double speak.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@VintageFreeMind @TayyabUMahmood I understand that. I grew up a believing Ahmadiyya Muslim active in tabligh. That was not my question.

Sinful/immoral?

Can you give me a direct answer?

You're welcome to elaborate for readers of this thread.

[Sohail Ahmad @ReasonOnFaith]

@TayyabUMahmood @VintageFreeMind Do you consider marriage to other Muslims, sinful or immoral?