Salaam, Tri Cities!
Today I went to the Mosque in the Tri-Cities with my World Religions class! I had been looking forward to this for a long time. It's one thing to see a church, another to see a Mosque. I took this as a chance for more cultural understanding and enlightenment. They were SO nice. I mean, not that they wouldn't be. haha just so welcoming! We met with a friend of our teacher's named Yusef (Arabic for Joseph), which turns out to be a rather common name! It happens to be the name of a famous translator of the Qur'an, even. I have to admit we american tend to butcher than name, it really does sound closer to saying "Joseph" than "Yusef" when they say it in Arabic though. The Mosque wasn't what I was expecting. I guess I keep forgetting it's an American one because I was expecting a white, dome shaped building with the Crescent steeple. Instead, this looked just a like a church, with a Crescent steeple. In fact, about the only thing that's different is the fact there are no pews because people sit and kneel in rows and that men and women enter the main room from gender segregated entrances. Then, the women sit in back so as not to "distract" the men while they are prostrating and such. ^_~ So actually, it has little to do with sex discrimination like we thought it was. We thought that religiously they weren't allowed to pray in the same room but I guess we were wrong. We brought foods to eat with the Falafal that Yusef made and we had lunch about 11. At 1:15, after a short tour of the place and an introduction from the Imam (priest or holy man), they started. Before you enter the room, you have to remove your shoes so the floor isn't dirty. Duh, I mean you have to stick your face on it! lol Most of us crowed in the back against the wall, trying to blend in. A woman came by and handed us girls scarves. We weren't aware as guests we would need them or not but I guess so! I admired the few women that were there wearing their scarves, wondering how they could tie them in such a pretty fashion. The little children even wore little burkhas that covered everything but their face! It was so cute! They made them out of regular like, children's cloth with cute designs. In america, you don't have to cover the face, just the head. The opening prayer was summoned by a beautiful hymn. And the room there was written on it a verse from the Qur'an. Arabic is such a short-hand language that they could write 4 paragraphs on 4 walls!!! Yusef had done this calligraphy, actually. In the center there was a capsule shape with more inscriptions, with gold laden Egyptian designs. This was East (or South-East in the Tricities. They actually have to pray only to the shorted distance towards Mecca, not neccessarily due East). Down the halls were regular class-rooms where Sunday school was. On the walls, little kid wrote papers on "Why Rammadan or Why Fasting Was Cool". Really no different that writing bout Christmas, I suppose! I thought it was cute.
After the opening hymn, the Imam spoke at the podiem and at the beginning verse in the Qur'an, he would quote it in Arabic and then continue in English. His accent was so thick however, it was really difficult to figure out which it was!! LOL after awhile, the singer came back and the worshippers stood and he would sing a phrase and they would reply "É-mén". And he make a nother call and they would bow, then another and they would prostrate and then again they would stand and this cycle went on a few more mintues. And then it was over and all the sudden everyone left! The women especially. I thought it was a bit odd, since people didn't seem to leave while the preist was still speaking in Church! The imam was still speaking, mostly telling about future improvments to be made on the mosque, and about us, welcoming us. The women seemed very aloof however. We stayed a few more minutes. we talked with imam and Yusef. They handed everyone hard bound copies of the Qur'an and let me tell you, those are not cheap! Tehy are bi-lingual too. But I guess it's no different from handing out Gideon's bible or the Book of Mormon. I have two other soft-cover which, one is more an analytical text; the other standard. Both are only English. I gave one copy to the friend I went with and I have yet to give the other way; Maybe to Mr. Knepp! He'd know what to do with it. As for me, yet another book to add to my religious collection. I aim to collect all the great religious text of the world! I found out Yusef was a teacher at Alexandria University! Him and the imam (I never did get his name. LOL) and boy... can you imagine?! ALL the history of the world in one place?? How incredible is that! I just feel so uplifted and enlightened for being there though. It's my opinion that everyone should go. Just to learn the differences AND the similarities (actually there are only minor dogmatic differences), become more enlightned and have a better respect for humanity. In truth there is no propaganda.
After the opening hymn, the Imam spoke at the podiem and at the beginning verse in the Qur'an, he would quote it in Arabic and then continue in English. His accent was so thick however, it was really difficult to figure out which it was!! LOL after awhile, the singer came back and the worshippers stood and he would sing a phrase and they would reply "É-mén". And he make a nother call and they would bow, then another and they would prostrate and then again they would stand and this cycle went on a few more mintues. And then it was over and all the sudden everyone left! The women especially. I thought it was a bit odd, since people didn't seem to leave while the preist was still speaking in Church! The imam was still speaking, mostly telling about future improvments to be made on the mosque, and about us, welcoming us. The women seemed very aloof however. We stayed a few more minutes. we talked with imam and Yusef. They handed everyone hard bound copies of the Qur'an and let me tell you, those are not cheap! Tehy are bi-lingual too. But I guess it's no different from handing out Gideon's bible or the Book of Mormon. I have two other soft-cover which, one is more an analytical text; the other standard. Both are only English. I gave one copy to the friend I went with and I have yet to give the other way; Maybe to Mr. Knepp! He'd know what to do with it. As for me, yet another book to add to my religious collection. I aim to collect all the great religious text of the world! I found out Yusef was a teacher at Alexandria University! Him and the imam (I never did get his name. LOL) and boy... can you imagine?! ALL the history of the world in one place?? How incredible is that! I just feel so uplifted and enlightened for being there though. It's my opinion that everyone should go. Just to learn the differences AND the similarities (actually there are only minor dogmatic differences), become more enlightned and have a better respect for humanity. In truth there is no propaganda.