“The place where you have your home, business and workplace; and the people in whose midst you live, work and play; and your family and the families of your colleagues and friends and the friends of your children live, work and play.
When it comes to defending and protecting them against enemies and perils of all kinds, both foreign and domestic, will you put your name down to be among the first in the list of volunteers to do so, or will you go hide in a hole and expect others to do it for you, while you cop a mock medical or other alibi of some kind?
And does it make a difference where you live, whether it is India, Arabia, America, Europe, Russia, Indonesia or Malaysia? And does it make the slightest difference what their race or religion is?
I know where a True Muslim’s name would be. I know where my name would be, even though I am centuries and eons and galaxies away from being a true Muslim.
And I know where my late father’s name would be, Allah bless him, who was as true a Muslim as any I may have ever seen. And I know where the names of my boys would be.
They would all be right up there at the top of that list. And they have always been.
All of us – me, my father and my boys – would be the first to defend our home, our neighbours and our friends and family, whether that is in America, India or somewhere else. For, that to us is what life is all about. And that to us is what Islam is all about.” (Dr. Pasha)
