An Op-Ed worth reading

Shahriar Ahmed, president of the Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, writes an interesting response to David Reinhard in Sunday’s Oregonian. Shahriar Ahmed, born in Bangladesh and for the past 22 years employed at Intel, is a volunteer on the mosque’s board. He spoke at the Unity Rally attended by over 1,000 people at the Multnomah Center in SW Portland on January 9, 2005. Organized in response to a planned Skinhead rally in nearby Gabriel Park, it was a memorable experience for those of us who participated. Shahriar’s speech was funny, tender, moving. He’s a good man, well known to other good people in the interfaith community. I’ve heard him speak several times, coming away with new insights on each occasion. He spreads love, understanding, compassion, inclusion … values I rarely perceive underlying David Reinhard’s columns.

Here is the 11/13/05 David Reinhard column referenced. And here is the one from July 29, 2007. The latter ends:

“Given his own well-documented antics, Shahriar Ahmed should be embarrassed to comment on anyone’s honesty and trust.”

Contrast that with this Portland Tribune article by Don Hamilton, Mosque leader ‘walks the talk’. And this one in the Beaverton Valley Times by Christina Lent, Human rights awards celebrate Beaverton’s diversity. She writes, probably quoting from the awards ceremony:

“Since 2001, the Bilal Mosque Association in Beaverton has served as a community leader and partner in an interfaith effort to embrace the city’s growing diversity and encourage efforts to support mutual understanding among diverse groups and faith communities.”

“The Bilal Mosque has led and participated in 320 events, fostering a dialogue to help clear public misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.”

Even the Oregonian, apart from David Reinhard’s column, has covered Shahriar Ahmed’s life and actions favorably. “Whether bumped from a prayer breakfast or fielding concerns about a detention, Shahriar Ahmed broadens views of Islam”, pronounces the subtitle of that article.

Given his own well-documented service to our community and honoring of both his own faith and others’, in my opinion Shahriar Ahmed has every right to comment on anyone’s honesty and trust. Please read his column.