A Visit I’ll Never Forget: Mahmoud’s Unwavering Sense of Duty

A personal account of sacrifice, gratitude, and the heavy cost of responsibility

Shaheed Mahmoud Kaveh

I was sitting at home when an unexpected knock sounded at the door. Of all the people I might have imagined standing there, Mahmoud was the last. Especially not Mahmoud, and certainly not with his head wrapped in bandages. The sight of him overwhelmed me, and before I knew it, tears streamed down my face.

“How did you come in this condition?” I asked, my voice trembling. “You should have stayed in the hospital and rested.”

Mahmoud’s response was as resolute as ever.

“The world isn’t a place for resting! I’ve got to get back to the division. There’s still so much left to do.”

It was clear he was in a hurry, eager to return to his responsibilities. Yet, before leaving, he paused to say,

“I troubled you a lot these past few days, so I had to come and thank you.”

Despite his injuries, Mahmoud had refused the offer to be sent abroad for treatment. I pleaded with him,

“Brother, do you really think this is the right thing to do?”

He looked at me with unwavering conviction.

“A person has to ask themselves what their duty is, no matter the situation.”

I couldn’t help but protest.

“You’re not thinking about yourself at all. With all that shrapnel still in your head, you’re being unfair to yourself.”

But Mahmoud was steadfast.

“I have to fulfil my duty,” he insisted.

I pressed further,

“Then why won’t you go abroad?”

He explained,

“First of all, going abroad would be an extra cost for the state, and I’ll never be okay with burdening the Islamic Republic with extra expenses. And second of all, like I said, you have to ask what your duty is.”

That day, a strange and heavy feeling settled over me. I couldn’t explain it, but I desperately didn’t want him to leave. Mahmoud’s visit was brief, but the memory of his sacrifice and sense of responsibility has stayed with me ever since.