Faith and country: Sacrifices are not made in vain

The war that ensued after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has claimed the lives of many U.S. service men and women. But the death of Osama bin Laden did, to some extent, bring closure to the families of the victims and marginalized the threat of al-Qaida.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Wisconsin State Journal
By Ahmed Khan | May 30, 2011

It was a July 4 weekend when my friends and I went to see “The Patriot,” partly out of a spirit of patriotism. My cousin Mahmood Sarwar, who was supposed to go with us, missed a great movie.

In the movie, farmer Benjamin Martin and his elder son Gabriel were driven to lead a colonial militia in the American Revolution. The murder of his younger son made Benjamin believe serving to protect his nation was the ultimate calling.

Growing up, I was close to Mahmood. One day in 2005 when he was visiting from Houston, he told me his plan to join the Navy. Remembering Gabriel’s death in “The Patriot,” I thought my cousin was going to unnecessarily put himself in harm’s way. I was naive — this is the kind of sacrifice he and men like him are willing to make for America.


The war that ensued after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has claimed the lives of many U.S. service men and women. But the death of Osama bin Laden did, to some extent, bring closure to the families of the victims and marginalized the threat of al-Qaida.

In joining the Navy, my cousin fulfilled his pledge to the youth auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA (www.mkausa.org). Every member of our auxiliary pledges to sacrifice their lives for the sake of our nation and faith. This practice is in agreement with the Quran, which instructs (Quran 4:60) Muslims to be obedient to the rule of law and the government.

Mahmood believed this, even if it meant deployment to a dangerous country like Iraq in 2009. His father, an imam, taught him there is no conflict between his loyalty to his nation and faith.

I am grateful that he returned safely, but for those who did not, this Memorial Day is for them. As President Abraham Lincoln said, it provides “the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.”

It would have been fun if Mahmood had gone to see “The Patriot” with us, but then again, he was well on his way to being the patriot.

— Ahmed Khan, Oshkosh

Read original post here: Ahmed Khan: Sacrifices are not made in vain