Today, the United States Senate approved the nomination of Zahid Quraishi to be appointed as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey. The Muslim Public Affairs Council applauds this historic moment as Judge Quraishi is now the first American Muslim to serve as an Article III federal judge.

The Biden Administration is fulfilling its promise to make the federal government more representative of the rich diversity of America. In the past few months, we have seen an American Muslim woman, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Sameera Fazili, speak from the White House dais on…

The intersectional struggle for Palestinian liberation characterized by years of systemic injustice and oppression continues to be minimized and censored in interfaith communities through faithwashing. Faithwashing is the use of interfaith relations to whitewash crimes committed against the Palestinian people. This approach works explicitly to erase Palestinian suffering and conflates critiques of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism. It distracts interfaith partners from addressing the perpetual settler-colonial violence in Palestine, only leading to the widespread legitimization of an apartheid system, rather than active resistance, including several non-violent approaches to addressing the atrocities. …

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister, has been avoiding political defeat for the last two years. Israel’s complex politics has been so deadlocked that four elections have been held without a winner in that time. No one has been able to cobble together a government that requires 61 members of the 120 seat Knesset to hold power. As such, Netanyahu has been able to cling to power. But this last election in March may have finally resulted in his removal.

Netanyahu is part of the Israeli hard-right, completely opposed to any settlement with the Palestinians and utterly committed to preserving…

Memorial Day emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War, which claimed the highest American casualties from any war. Over time, the holiday expanded to honor American military deaths across every war. The Second World War (WWII) shares a special relationship with Memorial Day: the Allied forces defeated the fearmongering, ethnonationalist Nazi regime on this same month, in 1945, bringing a close to the European theater of the war. As we remember the lives and sacrifices of the American soldiers who died fighting against the perpetrators of the Holocaust, it is important to note another day of remembrance this month…

As the world witnessed on May 9th, Palestinians in Jerusalem were once again stripped of their basic human rights. The right of human dignity, the right to religious freedom, and the right to live free from fear. Though a cease-fire is welcomed, the violence of occupation is ongoing. The terror being inflicted on innocent men, women, and children is going unchecked by the international community as well as major media outlets. …

Growing up, I always enjoyed the excitement that surrounded Mother’s Day. From a tender age our teachers, who for many of us were like a second parent, would guide us in making the perfect card, craft, or token to share with our moms on their special day. And come that second Sunday in May, mother’s all over the world were able to feel a fraction of the true thanks they deserve — if only in the form of an overglittered card.

As a part of my Mother’s day gift for my Ami, I promised to help with some spring cleaning…

The United States is a nation of immigrants. It was originally formed as a safe haven for people who fled religious and ethnic persecution, however, over time, newcomers faced various forms of discrimination. The anti-immigrant sentiment then became rooted in policy, and its remains can still be found in legislation. Various laws have been passed in the Congress to uphold different forms of discrimination from slavery to anti-Asian and Islamophobic policies. Our democratic traditions and institutions embedded in the US Constitution prevailed over the years as new legislation that promoted bigotry was introduced, with many discriminatory bills prevented from coming…

Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | May 8, 2021 — The ongoing attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque and evictions in Sheikh Jarrah are a gross violation of international law, human rights, and religious freedom. Historically, America has upheld these values and led the world in its pursuit. The conditions in Jerusalem require the same degree of attention and intervention we have focused in other regions, as the rights, lives, and well-being of a people are under attack physically, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically.

During Ramadan, the holiest time of year for Muslims, the last 10 days are particularly significant with a focus on…