Source/Credit: Cleveland. Com | Plain Dealer
By Usama Awan | May 07, 2011
Sept. 11, 2001, Lowell Elementary School. I am sitting in the cafeteria enjoying my lunch when our principal gets on the intercom and tells us about the news: "The Twin Towers were attacked by terrorists earlier this morning." At that time, I had no idea what had happened, but in the coming weeks and years, I came to realize that this would be a life-changing experience.
I don't know how extremists like Osama bin Laden could ignore clear Koranic injunctions such as, "Do not go about committing iniquity in the earth and causing disorder" (29:37). How did he justify the 9/11 attacks with this verse? What about the verse, "Whosoever killed a person . . . it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and whosoever saved a life, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind" (5:33). What could be clearer?
On the one hand, I felt my religion under attack by so-called Muslims who were calling for hatred toward the West in the name of Islam. And on the other hand, I felt pressure to prove my loyalty to the United States. Thankfully, I was able to reconcile both because I understood Prophet Muhammad's teaching, "Love of one's country is part of faith." I was able to understand, but what of the American public and my peers?
After the news of bin Laden's death, my friend's Facebook status read something like this: "Osama is dead, go America, and if you don't 'like' this, you are al-Qaida." I don't know if he really believes that he has friends who are part of al-Qaida, or if he just wanted me and his other Muslim friends to prove our allegiance to America.
Don't worry, my friend, my community and I are doing a lot more than just hitting "like" buttons on Facebook to show our loyalty.
I am an Ahmadi Muslim and an American. I follow my Koran, which commands me to swear allegiance to my country: "Obey God, and obey His messenger and those who are in authority among you" (4:60). I belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, the first Islamic-American organization in history. We not only talk about peace and loyalty, but we take it to the streets, by handing out "Muslims for Peace" and "Muslims for Loyalty" fliers. Here is a short video to show you what I am talking about: tinyurl.com/5wzbdzp
I am proud to be an American and proud of our response to bin Laden's death. President Barack Obama said, "The United States is not -- and never will be -- at war with Islam. . . . Our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer . . . ." Thank you, Mr. President for making that distinction.
Personally, I was anxious about how the American public would react, but with the president's response, I feel relieved. Ever since that lunch period in third grade on 9/11, I felt my name and my religion under attack. With bin Laden's death and America's response, I no longer feel any uneasiness in introducing myself: My name is Usama Awan, and I am a proud Muslim-American.
Awan, of Pickerington, is a member of the Muslim Writers Guild of America.
Read original post here: Loyalty, love of country are lessons from the Koran: Usama Awa
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