Zarami - Nigeria
I met Zarami in Nigeria, where we worked together when I lived in Abuja in 2014-16. We were so thrilled to bring him into our organization because we desperately needed someone who could manage a complex, fast-moving program in one of the tumultuous North East states. Zarami was perfect for the job because he knows everyone! Need a meeting with the Governor, or police chief, or other traditional or religious leaders? Zarami can get it for you. He was invaluable in his knowledge of how to navigate the labyrinthine and sometimes opaque (at least, to us Americans) political culture of Borno. One of the proudest moments of my time in Nigeria was finally making it to Maiduguri to visit in person the office Zarami managed. His diverse experiences and skills include education in both Islamic and Western schools, becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Project Management, and certification as a Microsoft IT Professional. He speaks Arabic, Kanuri, Hausa and English, and is a happily married father to eight children!
"Let our brothers and sisters in the West particularly, the US citizens to distinguish between Islam and terrorists, acts committed by some few misguided Muslims may not necessarily emanate from Islam. Furthermore, Islam and what terrorists are doing today in name of the Islam are totally contrary. Islam is religion of peace, tolerance and kindness as demonstrated by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The easiest way to convince Muslims to believe you is to tell them what you are doing is Islam, therefore, terrorists and other enemies of humanity took this advantage to promote their evil acts.
And it is written in the QURAN: 'O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other)"'(Quran chapter 49 verse 13).
It is even prohibited in Islam to insult idols. Quran 6:107 stated, 'And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge.'"