Bin Laden's Death and Thoughts Of Home

In a conversation with a fellow Gwinnett student recently, the question came up regarding the country of my origin. On hearing the answer to be Pakistan, her next query was what my thoughts were regarding the killing of Osama bin Laden.

I told her that he was not my leader, I did not agree with what he had been doing, and he was due to pay for what he had done and that’s exactly what happened.

My major concern right now is the safety of my parents, siblings and many other close relatives who are still in Pakistan.  My biggest concern is the repercussions it can have on the safety of my family and other civilians. I am not saying that Osama bin Laden should have been left alone and not dealt with, but just pointing out the danger his killing can bring about in the region because of the presence of extremist groups supporting his cause in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Just the thought that Osama bin Laden was living merely 80 miles from my family’s place of residence gives me goose bumps. And why shouldn’t it? After all he was named “Public enemy number one” here in the U.S. and all over the world. Who could bear the thought of living among terrorists?

 Ever since this war on terrorism started and the Pakistani government joined hands with the American government, many people in Pakistan have lost their lives because the extreme element wanted to teach the local government a lesson for this cooperation by spreading fear in civilians. And now that their leader has been found and killed, it’s scary to imagine, what they would do next. Already no place of worship has been left without an incidence of violent suicide bombings.

These people who were supporting Osama bin Laden cannot be called Muslims because there is no place for extremism in Islam.  The members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to which I belong, have always adhered to peaceful practices wherever they live. I am really proud of the “Muslims for Peace” campaign that my community has been running since last year.

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, has taught us that there is no place for a bloody Jihad. The best Jihad is when a person deals with his own weaknesses and tries to overcome them.

Such a person does not go around killing innocent people, such as those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, especially in the name of religion. In order to reform the society and bring about positive changes, it is better to pick up the pen instead of weapons.  After all, the 19th century English author, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, coined the famous saying, “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

My community is unique. Despite facing severe persecution in countries such as Pakistan and Indonesia, because of their belief in the Messiah, the members have been taught not to respond hatred with hatred but to live by the slogan “Love for All Hatred for None.”

As a Muslim living in America, it was very encouraging to hear President Obama stress in his speech that America is not at war with Islam. The killing of the leader who was behind terrorist attacks of 9/11 brings a little relief but knowing that his supporters are still out there is still a cause of great concern.