Islamic prayers have little to do with spirituality

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Dec 10, 2020 at 22:48

Dear Dr Pipes, I am not surprised that most quiet rooms in various airports effectively have been usurped by Muslims. I am a fairly spiritual person, but, honest to God, I have never felt that quiet room or a city square or a blocked street is mandatory for a sincere prayer. My God is available to me in crowded subways, in cramped airplanes, in noisy stadiums, and every where else. Like every other public Islamic thing, Islamic places to pray are more about display of power, exhibition of rights. unnecessary calls for unity.

Prayers are about humility and devotion. A true devotee should be able to pray almost anywhere. A lot of good has come and gone in the world outside of Islam. I will recommend Muslims to read the famous story 'The two pilgrims' by Leo Tolstoy to truly understand what spirituality is all about.

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