My reason to love America
Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.
Mayor Bloomberg of New York City, Speaker of New York City Council and religious leaders from different religions made speeches in connection with construction of Mosque and Islamic Center near Ground Zero.
Around Christmas in 1997 I visited the estate/ house of America’s founding father Thomas Jefferson. It is called Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was third president of USA. I visited his gave, located on the property. On his epitaph there is no mention that he was 3rd US President. Rather it says:
AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
I don’t know who authored “Statue of USA for Religious Freedom” in US Constitution. But it’s associated with Thomas Jefferson for advocating it. So, for his this act, I did what I will do if I get chance to visit Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) grave. I offered Fatiah at Thomas Jefferson grave.
From Zahid Aziz:
Muslims often wonder why the West is successful, why does Allah allow it to dominate and rule, when its civilization suffers from grave faults such as openly rejecting many of our moral values, greed, usurping other nations’ rights, etc.
The reason is in the above speeches. There are people in the West who stand up against bigotry, against the trends of their own nations, and fulfil the Quranic injunction:
“O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty.” (5:8)
From Marcello:
Well said, Rashid! While the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution allow for hateful and bigoted comments, they also allow voices of love and tolerance to speak loudly and clearly. And the Constitution guarantees all of us the freedom of religion and the freedom to worship as we choose. In spite of all the protests and controversy about the “Ground Zero Mosque”, that freedom still stands. We are truly blessed to live in such a country.
From T.Ijaz:
Jefferson was the first founding father of America to specifically mention Muslims among other religions being protected by religious freedom in America. In his following words: (emphasis mine):
“When the Virginia bill for establishing religious freedom…was finally passed…a singular proposition proved that its protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word ‘Jesus Christ’, so that it should be read ‘departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion’. The insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination” (Autobiography, 1821).
From Rashid:
Thank God, in USA there are people who speak up, and stand for justice.
Keith Olbermann Special Comment: There Is No ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ – 08/16/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZpT2Muxoo0