Five Pillars: A Religious Observation
I spent a life time, or at least a full childhood, attending a Mennonite Sunday School and church services often conducted in a language, German, that I did not fully understand. I am confused and greatly conflicted when it comes to organized religion.
I began to question the world around me as I became more aware of the bigger issues in life. Why is it, for example, that both old order Mennonite women and Muslim women cover their heads and wear black? Why is it that I totally suck at cards and have such a low capacity for alcohol and feel guilty when I watch a movie? I sought answers to these and other deeply rooted and complex theological questions. I had issues. I moved to Kuwait.
In addition to containing the basic beliefs of Islam, the Quran tells Muslims in a very specific way and in classic Arabic how they should lead their daily lives. For example, it forbids the eating of pork and pork by-products especially if they contain MSG, which is also very bad for water retention. It also explains why, as I now live in an Islamic country, I am forced to buy pork, an illegal commodity, from a contact of a friend who knows someone on the American Base. As it turns out American Military bases are often the land of “milk and honey”.
Islam has five pillars or foundations to the religion. The first pillar of Islam is the basic confession of faith, or Shahada. This requires Muslims to believe and say that there is only one God and He (definitely not she) is Allah and that Mohammad is the messenger of God. One should not shoot the messenger. One should name his first born son Mohammed.
Follow this math calculation. Given that there are now over a billion Muslims in the world, in fact there are now more Muslims than there are Catholics in the world today, from a billion Muslims roughly half will be males, (a little more now that they do amniotic testing to determine the sex of a child before birth and thereby able to terminate a pregnancy if the fetus is a girl), out of half a billion males; given that the first born male is to be name Mohammed there could be as many as 100 million Mohammed’s in the world today. And I thought Smith was a common name.
The second pillar of Islam involves prayer. Apparently, Muslims must pray five times a day-at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening. Prayers can be offered anywhere, at a mosque, in the fields, at a mall, at home, in the office and I think some do it while driving. To offer prayer a believer must kneel, bow and touch his or her forehead to the ground symbolizing the submission of ones will to God. Those more fanatical worshippers can be easily spotted due to the bruises on their foreheads.
Muslims of course face Mecca as they pray. Arabic mathematicians, during their Golden Age (900-1200 AD), developed trigonometry making it possible to calculate the exact angle and direction for the proper prayer orientation toward Mecca. Today, those believers, who are also techno savvy, can buy a cell phone that will alert the listener, complete with custom selected alarms, as to the five prayer times. A GPS will locate Mecca, so one can face the correct direction. Through the marvels of mass production and advanced technology, structured, ridged liturgy is now made easily accessible. It’s a miracle!
I live next to a mosque, (ironically, I did in Canada too), but so does every one else. Mosques are spaced about every 200 yards apart and are far more common than most fast food franchises. In fact when I first moved here I thought they were part of some sort of franchise. Most of them are situated close to a dirt field for parking. Therefore, if I should give directions to get to my apartment for an example, I can’t say I am next to the mosque with the dirt field. It is useless information. It’s like saying, in Canada; I live by Tim Horton’s. We all have our cultural icons.
Living next to a mosque for me is not a religious experience. Five times a day the call to prayer blares out of large speakers mounted atop the minarets. In my neighbourhood, (the tourist capital of the world, Hawally), because of the location of the mosques and the numerous apartment buildings we get a loud, yet incomprehensible broadcast in an echoed stereophonic effect. Not knowing Arabic I can’t really tell you want is being said, but it is after all a call to prayer. I am told that during the early morning prayer the announcer is saying something along the line that it is better to pray than to sleep. I do know that the message always ends the same way with an announcement about Friday night bingo.
Depending on the time of day one can see scurrying believers in their sandals and dishdashery heading directly to mosque central. They leave their sandals at the door and enter the large open area of the mosque. There is a small anti room for women, but generally, like all things else, this is a male bastion. The numerous prayer mats are laid out in neat rows giving a wall to wall carpet effect. Often air freshener in a spray can format is provided because while praying the believer must lower his head to where, during the last prayer someone had his feet located. It can be problematic.
Walking by a mosque during prayer I have often had the uncontrollable urge to shuffle the pile of sandals waiting by the door for their praying masters. I know that would be wrong and I pray for personal strength and guidance.
Because of the irritating quality of the call to prayer I really think it is time to get Cat Stevens back to the Middle East sometime soon to make some urgently needed CD’s that could be played from every Mosque to repleace the uninspiring local talent who are just plain and simple, irritating. They sound too much like Kareoke-want-to-be’s. I really think that a little acoustic guitar in the background to the call to prayer would go along way to improving this essential Islamic ritual.
The third pillar of Islam concerns care for the poor and the needy. Any Muslim with an income must give some money, or sachet, to charity each year. For some the amount was set at 2.5% of pre tax incomes. Muslims who can give more are asked to do so. However, as I recall from my own church background the fraction of a tenth comes to mind, but like the Pirates of the Caribbean that is just a guideline. In the recent hostilities in Gaza, the Kuwaiti government was generous with its donations of food and medicine. Probably, the most generous time is during the month of fasting called Ramadan.
The ironic thing about Ramadan, considering it is an entire month of doing without food during daylight hours, amazingly lots of fasting people put on weight during this holy time. When the sun sets and the fast is broken people tend to more than over compensate for the fasting portion of the day. To me it has the appearance of a national eating disorder. This is the fourth pillar of Islam, fasting. The Eid celebrations after fasting is also an important family time in which day after day hungry and irritable relatives come together for joyous quality time. It is also a time to give to the poor.
My remembrance of Ramadan is based in our own western tradition and survival technique which we affectionately called Ramadan Picnics. During these times, while out in public, we would retire to our parked car, preferable in an underground parking lot, and with bunker mentality feast on food and drink all the time being wary of patrolling guards. Eating in a public place during Ramadan, in the worst case scenario, can get you a jail sentence until the fast is over; that could be up to a month if you get busted on day one. If in jail they don’t feed you and you had better hope that your friends and relatives will bring you food.
Naturally, during the fast pregnant women, children, travelers, those who are ill, diabetics, people with a cleft pallet, or those that just don’t feel like it can get a waiver providing they make up for lost time during a later day. Therefore, it could be months after Ramadan and you may meet some poor soul with low blood sugar who is doing a make-up fast. It is these late fasters who always make Kuwait an interesting, challenging and life threatening place in which to drive. Religion in motion.
The fifth pillar is the Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims who are able are expected to make the pilgrimage at least once in their life time. To be able to do so is a high point in a Muslim’s life. While in Mecca Muslims pray facing the Kabah, a large cubicle that sits in the centre of the courtyard in the scared Mosque.
I have already seen pictures in National Geographic magazine in which over a million of the faithful descend on the holy Muslim city to fulfill their duty of faith. The trip has to be made before the feast of sacrifice, which commemorates Abraham’s offering of his son to God. Sometimes it is just eerie how similar Islam and Christianity are and that a Mennonite woman can look Muslim from ten paces behind her man, or sitting on the opposite side of the church, but I think those are more cultural divides than religious ones. Tricky business this religious thing!!
And really what’s this thing about multiple wives, this is just another confusing ethical conundrum, with the exception of Mennonite males, both Muslims and Mennonites, according to the Koran, are allowed to have up to four wives. Why in God’s name would a man want more than one wife? Are they Mormon?
My students tell me that Bahrain would not exist if it were not for the multitude of Saudis who come in to sin and indulge before going back to Saudi in time for prayer and on to the Hajj to have their sins forgiven. Every vice that you care to think of is available in the Middle East, but usually not as open or advertised. Anything that can be done in Los Vegas can be equally indulged here. Like Catholics who can say a few “Hail Mary’s” and return to grace, so can Muslims by completing the Hajj, the fifth pillar of this ancient religion. I can only ponder on what Samson did with pillars, how Biblical.
My quest for answers continues.
mr
I spent a life time, or at least a full childhood, attending a Mennonite Sunday School and church services often conducted in a language, German, that I did not fully understand. I am confused and greatly conflicted when it comes to organized religion.
I began to question the world around me as I became more aware of the bigger issues in life. Why is it, for example, that both old order Mennonite women and Muslim women cover their heads and wear black? Why is it that I totally suck at cards and have such a low capacity for alcohol and feel guilty when I watch a movie? I sought answers to these and other deeply rooted and complex theological questions. I had issues. I moved to Kuwait.
In addition to containing the basic beliefs of Islam, the Quran tells Muslims in a very specific way and in classic Arabic how they should lead their daily lives. For example, it forbids the eating of pork and pork by-products especially if they contain MSG, which is also very bad for water retention. It also explains why, as I now live in an Islamic country, I am forced to buy pork, an illegal commodity, from a contact of a friend who knows someone on the American Base. As it turns out American Military bases are often the land of “milk and honey”.
Islam has five pillars or foundations to the religion. The first pillar of Islam is the basic confession of faith, or Shahada. This requires Muslims to believe and say that there is only one God and He (definitely not she) is Allah and that Mohammad is the messenger of God. One should not shoot the messenger. One should name his first born son Mohammed.
Follow this math calculation. Given that there are now over a billion Muslims in the world, in fact there are now more Muslims than there are Catholics in the world today, from a billion Muslims roughly half will be males, (a little more now that they do amniotic testing to determine the sex of a child before birth and thereby able to terminate a pregnancy if the fetus is a girl), out of half a billion males; given that the first born male is to be name Mohammed there could be as many as 100 million Mohammed’s in the world today. And I thought Smith was a common name.
The second pillar of Islam involves prayer. Apparently, Muslims must pray five times a day-at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening. Prayers can be offered anywhere, at a mosque, in the fields, at a mall, at home, in the office and I think some do it while driving. To offer prayer a believer must kneel, bow and touch his or her forehead to the ground symbolizing the submission of ones will to God. Those more fanatical worshippers can be easily spotted due to the bruises on their foreheads.
Muslims of course face Mecca as they pray. Arabic mathematicians, during their Golden Age (900-1200 AD), developed trigonometry making it possible to calculate the exact angle and direction for the proper prayer orientation toward Mecca. Today, those believers, who are also techno savvy, can buy a cell phone that will alert the listener, complete with custom selected alarms, as to the five prayer times. A GPS will locate Mecca, so one can face the correct direction. Through the marvels of mass production and advanced technology, structured, ridged liturgy is now made easily accessible. It’s a miracle!
I live next to a mosque, (ironically, I did in Canada too), but so does every one else. Mosques are spaced about every 200 yards apart and are far more common than most fast food franchises. In fact when I first moved here I thought they were part of some sort of franchise. Most of them are situated close to a dirt field for parking. Therefore, if I should give directions to get to my apartment for an example, I can’t say I am next to the mosque with the dirt field. It is useless information. It’s like saying, in Canada; I live by Tim Horton’s. We all have our cultural icons.
Living next to a mosque for me is not a religious experience. Five times a day the call to prayer blares out of large speakers mounted atop the minarets. In my neighbourhood, (the tourist capital of the world, Hawally), because of the location of the mosques and the numerous apartment buildings we get a loud, yet incomprehensible broadcast in an echoed stereophonic effect. Not knowing Arabic I can’t really tell you want is being said, but it is after all a call to prayer. I am told that during the early morning prayer the announcer is saying something along the line that it is better to pray than to sleep. I do know that the message always ends the same way with an announcement about Friday night bingo.
Depending on the time of day one can see scurrying believers in their sandals and dishdashery heading directly to mosque central. They leave their sandals at the door and enter the large open area of the mosque. There is a small anti room for women, but generally, like all things else, this is a male bastion. The numerous prayer mats are laid out in neat rows giving a wall to wall carpet effect. Often air freshener in a spray can format is provided because while praying the believer must lower his head to where, during the last prayer someone had his feet located. It can be problematic.
Walking by a mosque during prayer I have often had the uncontrollable urge to shuffle the pile of sandals waiting by the door for their praying masters. I know that would be wrong and I pray for personal strength and guidance.
Because of the irritating quality of the call to prayer I really think it is time to get Cat Stevens back to the Middle East sometime soon to make some urgently needed CD’s that could be played from every Mosque to repleace the uninspiring local talent who are just plain and simple, irritating. They sound too much like Kareoke-want-to-be’s. I really think that a little acoustic guitar in the background to the call to prayer would go along way to improving this essential Islamic ritual.
The third pillar of Islam concerns care for the poor and the needy. Any Muslim with an income must give some money, or sachet, to charity each year. For some the amount was set at 2.5% of pre tax incomes. Muslims who can give more are asked to do so. However, as I recall from my own church background the fraction of a tenth comes to mind, but like the Pirates of the Caribbean that is just a guideline. In the recent hostilities in Gaza, the Kuwaiti government was generous with its donations of food and medicine. Probably, the most generous time is during the month of fasting called Ramadan.
The ironic thing about Ramadan, considering it is an entire month of doing without food during daylight hours, amazingly lots of fasting people put on weight during this holy time. When the sun sets and the fast is broken people tend to more than over compensate for the fasting portion of the day. To me it has the appearance of a national eating disorder. This is the fourth pillar of Islam, fasting. The Eid celebrations after fasting is also an important family time in which day after day hungry and irritable relatives come together for joyous quality time. It is also a time to give to the poor.
My remembrance of Ramadan is based in our own western tradition and survival technique which we affectionately called Ramadan Picnics. During these times, while out in public, we would retire to our parked car, preferable in an underground parking lot, and with bunker mentality feast on food and drink all the time being wary of patrolling guards. Eating in a public place during Ramadan, in the worst case scenario, can get you a jail sentence until the fast is over; that could be up to a month if you get busted on day one. If in jail they don’t feed you and you had better hope that your friends and relatives will bring you food.
Naturally, during the fast pregnant women, children, travelers, those who are ill, diabetics, people with a cleft pallet, or those that just don’t feel like it can get a waiver providing they make up for lost time during a later day. Therefore, it could be months after Ramadan and you may meet some poor soul with low blood sugar who is doing a make-up fast. It is these late fasters who always make Kuwait an interesting, challenging and life threatening place in which to drive. Religion in motion.
The fifth pillar is the Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims who are able are expected to make the pilgrimage at least once in their life time. To be able to do so is a high point in a Muslim’s life. While in Mecca Muslims pray facing the Kabah, a large cubicle that sits in the centre of the courtyard in the scared Mosque.
I have already seen pictures in National Geographic magazine in which over a million of the faithful descend on the holy Muslim city to fulfill their duty of faith. The trip has to be made before the feast of sacrifice, which commemorates Abraham’s offering of his son to God. Sometimes it is just eerie how similar Islam and Christianity are and that a Mennonite woman can look Muslim from ten paces behind her man, or sitting on the opposite side of the church, but I think those are more cultural divides than religious ones. Tricky business this religious thing!!
And really what’s this thing about multiple wives, this is just another confusing ethical conundrum, with the exception of Mennonite males, both Muslims and Mennonites, according to the Koran, are allowed to have up to four wives. Why in God’s name would a man want more than one wife? Are they Mormon?
My students tell me that Bahrain would not exist if it were not for the multitude of Saudis who come in to sin and indulge before going back to Saudi in time for prayer and on to the Hajj to have their sins forgiven. Every vice that you care to think of is available in the Middle East, but usually not as open or advertised. Anything that can be done in Los Vegas can be equally indulged here. Like Catholics who can say a few “Hail Mary’s” and return to grace, so can Muslims by completing the Hajj, the fifth pillar of this ancient religion. I can only ponder on what Samson did with pillars, how Biblical.
My quest for answers continues.
mr
1 comment:
Somebody lied to you - Hawally is the ARMPIT of Kuwait, not the tourist center. And you like airline food....ewwww! lol
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