Patriotism and citizenship

Patriotism is not a word you write or a slogan to be raised, but it is faith, morals, and behavior.

Patriotism is not a feeling for drawling, bragging, and attacking others. Patriotism is not a motto, a rejected fanaticism, or a claimed racism, patriotism is higher and nobler; patriotism is a sense which does not accept compromise.

A true citizen is the one who makes patriotism a tangible reality by showing love for religion, loyalty to the homeland, obedience to the Muslim rulers, and interactive participation in the development of his country, not to seek its destruction or sabotage either by terrorism, congregational disobedience, or hateful corruption.

This will not happen except for those who understand these things correctly in order to act after having full knowledge, and practice comes out of full conviction without flattery, interest, or harm.

True citizenship emerges from the meaning of patriotism because it means: Love for one's homeland, work for its nobility, and preserving it.

Citizenship means: Unity not fragmentation, meeting not separation, and pursuit of cohesion without getting into issues that may disperse the opinions of the community, weaken the power, and increase controversy with no avail.

Citizenship means unity and not scattering, union and not separation, and seeking to hold fast without getting into social issues that distract ideas, weaken the unity, and spread argumentation without need.

A true citizen is the one who shows gratitude to the country and does not describe the people of his country with backwardness and reaction because of his inclination to westernization, wasting the principles of the society, and distracting its features with seeking false rights. Moreover, he should not accuse any of the people of his country of lack of loyalty in a time he calls for cohesion in crises and hardships, not to cry for conflicts.

Love means non-stop love, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) loved Makkah and felt sad when he came out of it, as he loved Medina and called the people to go there as Abraham (peace be upon him) called the people to go to Makkah.

The good behavior, which protects the country, refers clearly to the truthfulness of citizenship: Preserving and not sabotage, obedience not sin, construction not destruction, and respect not ridicule because a citizen should be respected no matter how young or old he is.

It is the country which we love and will not compromise for that love. A true citizen is the one who seeks to promote it: An inside citizen who exerts effort to promote his country and a broad citizen who exerts efforts for drawing a beautiful picture for his country by his religion, culture, heritage, legacy, advancement, and progress.

Let us throw all differences behind, breathe the air of homeland, and look at ourselves with pride because we are in the stronghold of Islam.

Furthermore, it is the country which reveres scholars, estimates men, supports young people, protects women, sponsors children, and comforts the wounds of the neighbors, as it is the hard rock which breaks down temptations and greed.

So, let us love our country and let our love be truthful words and righteous actions.