Honor Veterans
By: Saad Karamat

As my friend Richard, stationed in Kentucky, prepares to be deployed to Afghanistan, I, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, want to express my sincere appreciation for the sacrifice American soldiers and their families have endured for our country.

Richard anticipates a lonely Christmas in Afghanistan -- this being but one example of the many sacrifices Veterans Day honors.

While I may not always agree with our foreign policy, Prophet Muhammad's directive remains firm in my mind: "He who obeys his authority obeys me; he who disobeys his authority disobeys me." As a Muslim-American, loyalty to my country is an essential tenet of my faith.

I am thankful to America's military veterans for protecting my country -- a country that has allowed me to freely practice my faith and have a freedom of conscience -- and I wish the best for them this Veterans Day, and everyday.