I have never felt obligated to speak publicly about my religion, as one’s religion is a very personal subject.

I believe being the best person you can be is the way to shatter those preconceived prejudices without starting a quarrel.

However, it’s been happening too often— these series of world events, hatred and criticisms are continually unfolding and I feel as if it is time for me to speak up.

It’s time to tell the world that the religion of Islam and Muslims — those who follow Islam — are not a threat to society.

It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?

Let’s look at a few instances:

1.) A young boy walks up to his teacher with an invention he is so proud to have made. Time, effort and persistence went into the clock teen Ahmed Mohammed created. The next story America is headlining is about a young boy who gets arrested after his teacher feared that his clock was a bomb.

2.) A local Omaha man vandalizes the community mosque with an outline of the Eiffel Tower to assign blame to all Muslims for the heartbreaking Paris attacks.

3.) A Donald Trump rally roared support as Trump declared that thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheered as they watched the twin towers collapse on the day of September 11, 2001.

Islamophobia — the dislike or prejudice against Islam or Muslims — continues to be a problem within Western civilizations.

Hate, aggressive words, actions and stereotypes have continued to exteriorize Muslims. The stereotype of Muslims as threats has become deeply embedded in the collective conscious of many Americans.

I am a Muslim;

I am a Muslim who follows peace, unconditional love for humanity and respect for all mankind as stated by the religion of Islam.

I am a Muslim who has passions to explore the world, learn more and become someone in this universe.

I am a Muslim who is proud to follow a religion that offers acceptance, promotes generosity and encourages the growth of knowledge.

I am not a terrorist — one whom uses fear, violence, and threats to follow one’s own destructive agenda.

I am not a hazard that others must keep their guards up around.

I am not one who supports those who end lives with violence.

As in any school of thought, extremists and radicals come in all shapes, forms and sizes, unfortunately, degrading the ideology by which they stand.

There is no doubt in any Muslim’s mind that ISIS has done enormous evil. There is no Muslim who stands by the rampant killings the Taliban has executed. Likewise, there is no Christian who stands by the motives of the Ku Klux Klan.

Why then, must some members of society attribute these atrocious actions to Muslims when other radicals’ wrongdoings — such as the KKK — don’t represent Christians?

Muslims’ hearts ache alongside all those who lost loved ones during the September 11th terrorist attacks. Muslims feel remorse for those who had to suffer from the Paris bombings and Muslims feel sorrow for all the hate and discrimination that came alongside the Ku Klux Klan.

Muslims are individuals who feel unconditional love for humanity – just as any other human – so why continue to objectify them with the wrong deeds of the extremists?

Many of us have acknowledged this idea: that along every ideology comes the few who cause destruction and, for those people, I applaud you and thank you.

I thank you for understanding that we feel for humanity just as anyone else does, for understanding that disasters happen in this universe and for making a Muslim — who feels just as much sorrow as you during these events — smile because they know they have support during a difficult time.

All I want to see out of this universe are people who are accepting of all walks of life and who hold back the prejudice and aim to understand the diversity that exists across mankind.

If you are going to attribute the hijab to oppression, go talk to a woman about what the hijab she wears means. To her, it may be a sign of liberation and following her roots.

If you’re going to attribute terrorism to the foreign individual on your flight, start a conversation with him to learn that he is just another American like you and me.

Islam — which means “submission to peace” — is a beautiful religion I have been so proud to be part of.

I hope that others can begin to see the grace that comes with Islam and begin to accept all walks of life for their true values.