Rais Bhuiyan, an American Muslim from Bangladesh, is an extraordinary human being with a remarkable story. On Sept. 21, 2001, Bhuiyan was shot in the face by Mark Stroman, a white supremacist, calling himself “the Arab slayer.” That fateful day forced Bhuiyan to rebuild his life, but also sparked his path as peace and human rights activist. In 2011, he worked tirelessly to save Stroman’s life, requesting clemency and later turning the international campaign, A World Without Hate, into a nonprofit. He believes to form a better world people need peace, love and forgiveness, and must spread it to neighbors, citizens, colleagues, friends and all human beings, knocking down the walls of difference.
The Interfaith Institute of the Islamic Center of Long Island (ICLI) recently hosted Bhuiyan, who addressed several different gatherings, the weekly Friday afternoon services and had a detailed interactive conversation with a sizable number of attendees.
Bhuiyan, a humble, soft spoken young man, shared his impactful story, including how he reconciled with the difficulties he faced—a lost job, fiancee and more than $60,000 of medical bills—and how good Samaritans of all faiths helped him overcome these challenges. He eventually forgave Stroman and went as far as the Supreme Court to plead for clemency for him. When asked why he forgave Stroman, his response was that his faith and parents taught him the importance of forgiveness and peace.
Buiyan left a deep positive impression on all and represents an example of faith in action. He is the subject of the book, The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas by Anand Giridharadas, which was rated as one of 100 notable books by The New York Times and received several awards.
—Submitted by the Islamic Center of Long Island
