I don't understand why Muslims cant agree to simply leave each other alone. Why didn't God tell us that? Why didn't his message say, "don't kill other people for their beliefs" Well he didn't, but he did tell us to be obedient, and gentle, and kind, and over and over and over: forgiving. He said there is no compulsion in religion and yet we are constantly trying to compel others to share our beliefs. It is well known that Islam was revealed to the first believers in stages, to allow them to gradually come to deeper piety.

Today, I joined my sister and her kids to build some support for her organization, Muslims for Peace. The purpose behind the organization is to show to the world, that there is a majority of Muslims who are peaceful. We set up a table at the MLK day event sponsored by local Brooklyn politician, Kevin Powell. It was very interesting. Very few Muslims there, but as the audience was primarily African American, they were very sympathetic.