Unustainability regarding Muslim prayers

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Nov 20, 2021 at 11:23

Dear Dr Pipes, So many things about Islam are unfathomably beyond common sense. I hope someone intelligent in the Islamic community reads this message. More and more Muslims in more and more cities are insisting upon conducting the Friday prayers in Public. They block roads and public parks and whatever other places that they can lay their hands upon for their prayers. And, they cry (the discrimination) wolf if anyone opposes this idea.

When will the Muslims understand the importance of commonsense? Congregation prayers in modern cities are unsustainable. With millions of Muslims and their ever-increasing population, disrupting city life for a few hours every Friday is something that our cities simply cannot afford.

Take the case of Muslims in Gurugram, India. Gurugram is a modern city near Delhi and a major center of the IT industry. Our dear devout Muslims in Gurugram started to conduct their Friday prayers in a public park. Soon the women and children visiting the park in the afternoons started to feel the prayers disruptive. Some people objected. Muslims cried wolf. The police, politicians, apologists, and liberals soon got involved. Accusations were made. Muslim problems are never resolved! Nothing was resolved until the good old local Sikhs offered their Sikh Temple to the Muslims for the prayers. Infidels, once again, rescuing the fidels!! I guess Muslims will accept this offer because Islam is the only true religion in the world!

But the bigger question that needs to be asked is whether Islamic prayers are sustainable anywhere in the world? Can Central Park in New York host thousands of Muslims say their prayers every Friday if Muslims in NY decide to hold the prayers there?

Muslims need to understands that prayers are solemn dialogs of people with God. They are not shows of power. If Muslims need to talk with the God in the middle of a work day, the right way is to sit near their desks, close their eyes and say a short prayer. Billions of non-Muslims do it so many times. Disrupting traffic all Friday long is not the 21st century solution to spirituality (if it ever was). It is not the solution in Gurugram or Karachi or Jakarta or Damascus or in London or Paris or elsewhere.

Time for the Muslims to wake up and ponder.

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