I love how you are informing the reader, yet with a beautiful conscious. I especially love the imagery of praying under the metal stairs while people are people walking over you. I can’t think of a more humble place for Prayer to take place. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I'm not Muslim, but I too belong to an Abrahamic faith. I'm Catholic (yes, I am well aware of the damage to the world and human beings my religious institution has caused though throughout the centuries and today). I know cloistered nuns and monks do a structured prayer ritual throughout the day, but lay Catholic are not required to. Nonethelss, I pray silently throughout the day. In the morning I say simple prayers of gratitude and guidance along with a prayer for a protective spiritual hedge when I drive to and from work around me, my fellow drivers and their passengers, and pedestrians. I talk to God throughout the day especially if I am overwhelmed, grateful or anxious. I agree with Elif Shafak and Yates that writing is also a form of prayer. I don't pray my rosary beads or chaplet in public but I do have an Audible book recording of the rosary that I can listen to in private and public if I am on public transit.
A lovely post, Noha. I don't pray myself, but this brought back so many memories of Egypt and Turkey and the calls to prayer. Friday morning prayers in Cairo were always packed out in my neighbourhood, spilling over onto the streets, sometimes even blocking them.
Great article, this was very informative. I’m a Christian and try to pray several of the Daily Office hours every day (Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, etc) which sounds similar but I’m not very good at keeping up with the ones in the middle plus my daily Rosary.
Thanks for telling us about the prayers, and if you ever need to pray in public when I’m around, grab me and I’ll make sure people leave you the hell alone for those five minutes. :)
Prayers are special and a gift from Allah. We cannot thank HIM enough for all of His blessings. May Allah help us in protecting our prayers and May He makes it easy for us to obey His commands.
Could talk a minute about this with you! Thank you for your experience and teaching on this. I am (very) undisciplined and more random in my faith, as my job and personality lend things this way. I am better at contemplative or listening exercises. I know that all of these occur in the structure of the discipline as well. I have worked with Muslims and Jewish communities that model this, and I say respect to you for your practice! Thanks Noha, love your name!
This is lovely, Noha. Thank you for enlightening me more on your religion (I thought it was only 3). I think if people stepped back and thought about it, we really pray all day (maybe not formally), whether we are talking to a higher being or our higher selves. I mean, I'd even argue that, "I hope the light stays green for me," is a prayer...because what would we typically say when it does? So happy we "met"! xo
In some ways, Guyanese can be private people and praying in public places is something you probably won’t find Muslims doing. The good thing is, masjids are practically everywhere.
I love how you are informing the reader, yet with a beautiful conscious. I especially love the imagery of praying under the metal stairs while people are people walking over you. I can’t think of a more humble place for Prayer to take place. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I'm not Muslim, but I too belong to an Abrahamic faith. I'm Catholic (yes, I am well aware of the damage to the world and human beings my religious institution has caused though throughout the centuries and today). I know cloistered nuns and monks do a structured prayer ritual throughout the day, but lay Catholic are not required to. Nonethelss, I pray silently throughout the day. In the morning I say simple prayers of gratitude and guidance along with a prayer for a protective spiritual hedge when I drive to and from work around me, my fellow drivers and their passengers, and pedestrians. I talk to God throughout the day especially if I am overwhelmed, grateful or anxious. I agree with Elif Shafak and Yates that writing is also a form of prayer. I don't pray my rosary beads or chaplet in public but I do have an Audible book recording of the rosary that I can listen to in private and public if I am on public transit.
A lovely post, Noha. I don't pray myself, but this brought back so many memories of Egypt and Turkey and the calls to prayer. Friday morning prayers in Cairo were always packed out in my neighbourhood, spilling over onto the streets, sometimes even blocking them.
Thanks Noha,
Bit by bit, you're filling a gap in my education in a very personal and thus compelling way. I've never found my way to prayer, but I wish i could.
Question: If you fulfill the commandment of the five daily prayers, are you still required/commanded to attend a weekly prayer service?
Best,
David
Great article, this was very informative. I’m a Christian and try to pray several of the Daily Office hours every day (Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, etc) which sounds similar but I’m not very good at keeping up with the ones in the middle plus my daily Rosary.
Thanks for telling us about the prayers, and if you ever need to pray in public when I’m around, grab me and I’ll make sure people leave you the hell alone for those five minutes. :)
Thank you, Noha. I felt connected.
Prayers are special and a gift from Allah. We cannot thank HIM enough for all of His blessings. May Allah help us in protecting our prayers and May He makes it easy for us to obey His commands.
Could talk a minute about this with you! Thank you for your experience and teaching on this. I am (very) undisciplined and more random in my faith, as my job and personality lend things this way. I am better at contemplative or listening exercises. I know that all of these occur in the structure of the discipline as well. I have worked with Muslims and Jewish communities that model this, and I say respect to you for your practice! Thanks Noha, love your name!
This is lovely, Noha. Thank you for enlightening me more on your religion (I thought it was only 3). I think if people stepped back and thought about it, we really pray all day (maybe not formally), whether we are talking to a higher being or our higher selves. I mean, I'd even argue that, "I hope the light stays green for me," is a prayer...because what would we typically say when it does? So happy we "met"! xo
Thank you, Noha. 🖤✨
I love your final choice of title.
In some ways, Guyanese can be private people and praying in public places is something you probably won’t find Muslims doing. The good thing is, masjids are practically everywhere.
I constantly pray in the student services room at school.
This was lovely, the commitment to making the logistics work no matter how hard it is , shows the devotion to the faith you carry.
Thanks Noha for the education.
I love prayer. I hope people of other religions reading this will be inspired to pray to Hashem, Christ, Buddha, etc.
This is very nicely written; thank you.