Source & Credit: Oregon Live | Guest Columnist
By Richard Reno | Porland, OR | May 31, 2010
On Memorial Day, I am taking time to stop and reflect on those veterans who sacrificed for our great nation. And although none of them died in battle, I also take time to reflect on my own forefathers, who served our nation during several wars.
My grandfather’s service as a scout in 34th Infantry during World War II earned him a bronze star for throwing a grenade in a German bunker. He also won a Purple Heart when he nearly perished after a critical wound in Italy. His father served during World War I and my other grandfather served during World War II in the Pacific theatre. There were several further up the family tree that served in the Union Army during the Civil War. When on I reflect on their sacrifices, I feel a great sense of pride and gratitude for their love of the American ideal of freedom and their willingness to sacrifice their lives in defense of that freedom.
As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community I also feel a sense of gratitude to my great nation for the freedom to practice my faith as I see fit. This is not the case for members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in many other nations. For example, in Pakistan they face state-sponsored persecution, where many have been jailed merely for professing their faith. In 1974, the government of Pakistan passed an amendment to the constitution to declare the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as non-Muslim.
In 1984, they went a step further and introduced Ordinance XX. Ordinance XX criminalizes any Islamic activity of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. On May 28th, in Lahore, Pakistan, terrorists brutally murdered 94 members of this law abiding community. The well-coordinated attack struck two mosques simultaneously while worshipers were engaged in their Friday prayer service.
Without question, the governmental persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan has created the environment of hostility that caters to such atrocities. However, despite facing such persecution, Ahmadi Muslims are still loyal, law abiding citizens to every country in which they reside, even Pakistan. Violence is never an acceptable reaction from this community. We always respond to persecution with peace. This is because we believe it is an essential Islamic principle that a Muslim must be loyal to their nation. The Holy Qur’an commands: "Obey Allah, and obey His Messenger and those who are in authority among you" (4:60)
Whether that authority is spiritual or political, we must be obedient. The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, proclaimed that “Muslims who enjoy the liberty to practice and preach their faith are required to honor the government of their country and to live as decent, law-abiding citizens.”
We believe in the separation of church and state and that there is no contradiction in being loyal to one’s faith and one’s nation. The Prophet Muhammad said “He who obeys me, obeys God; he who disobeys me disobeys God. He who obeys his authority obeys me; he who disobeys his authority disobeys me”. Indeed, if one is not loyal to their nation, they have betrayed both their nation and God.
Just as fighting for your country when called upon is an obligation of a loyal citizen, many Ahmadi Muslims have honorably served in their respective nation’s military. Tragically, one of the victims of the massacre in Lahore was Major General Nasir Ahmad, a soldier who gave his country a lifetime of distinguished service. Despite his loyal service, due to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, he is not even considered an equal citizen. Regardless, Ahmad’s example is clear — when members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are called upon to protect and serve their nation, they will eagerly beckon to the call.
As an American citizen, I enjoy a privilege that is not found in many parts of the world, such as the freedom to openly practice my faith and express my ideas without persecution. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and a proud American, I want to thank my forefathers and all of the veterans who have fought and sacrificed their lives — from the Revolutionary War to fighting forces of terror in Afghanistan, so that I can live in freedom. Your sacrifices are not forgotten. God Bless America!
Read original post here: Thanking our forefathers for freedoms of religion and expression
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