With the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks coming up, as American Muslims, we remember and pray for those who lost their lives on 9/11.

The Holy Quran states, “Whosoever killed a person ... it shall be as if he killed all of mankind; and whoso shall give life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.” (5:33).

To honor the victims, Muslims from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association have arranged hundreds of blood drives on the anniversary of 9/11 since 2011.

This has proved to be fruitful, as more than 50,000 pints of blood have been collected for the Muslims for Life campaign, saving more than 170,000 lives.

More:On 9/11, we remember the lost and build the future

The national Muslims for Life campaign emphasizes the true values of Islam, including the sanctity of human life and sacrifices for one’s countrymen regardless of their color, creed or nationality.

In addition, with the current state of the world, the increased tensions between nations has become widespread, where there is fear of another World War to begin. To raise awareness and educate members about how it can be avoided, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association branch of Columbus is hosting a "Stop World War 3" event this weekend at 3360 Toy Road, Groveport, 43125.

More:Local Muslim community sends message of peace, understanding

Ultimately, it is my hope that yearly events like these can highlight the true meaning of togetherness and hope for a better future from the times of terror that have plagued the sanctity of human life in the past.

Share your thoughts:How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

I appreciated Micah Walker shining some light on the rescue of 4,000 beagles in her Sept. 1 article, "Rescued beagles arriving in Columbus."

I think it is important to address how these dogs were in this position and Inotiv’s CEO’s reasoning for using these animals.

Animal testing continues to be seen by some as the “gold standard” but scientific research increasingly shows that despite biological similarities between humans and other animals, differences in physiology, biochemistry, and genetic expression are misleading drug development.

In fact, between 90-95% of drugs found safe and effective in animal tests fail during human clinical trials. In addition to this failure rate, there’s concern that many drugs that may have been effective in humans are prematurely discarded as a result of animal tests.

More:Looking for 'ever-loving homes': Nearly 4,000 beagles bred for drug experiments rescued

In order to combat these issues, we should be supporting human-based research methods such as organ chips and sophisticated computer modeling by enacting legislation like the FDA Modernization Act of 2021, which allows for drug developers to use the best methods available rather than be required to use animal tests. 

Aysha Akhtar, co-founder and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences and former medical officer at the Food and Drug Administration.  

Union County just announced their triennial real estate re-evaluations. U.S. real estate values went up 27% in 2020 and 17% in 2021.

So, Union County has decided to capitalize on this and raise my residence valuation 38%. Neighbors are saying theirs went up 37% to 46%. With inflation soaring, I do not believe the counties of Ohio should add to our burden and a cap should be set at a 15% increase statewide until the real estate market settles.

Remember, 2008 real estate values dropped 20% but the counties did not lower valuations. They said it was a temporary downturn - so what changed? Nothing like local governments taking advantage of the situation for their own gain.