FAITH IDEOLOGY AND FEAR pdf download

Faith Ideology And Fear by Gabriele Marranci

FAITH IDEOLOGY AND FEAR

He says,

During one of my visits to a mosque, while waiting to meet the imam for an interview, I sat in a corner on the carpeted floor of the main prayer room. On my left, with a Qur’an in his lap, sat a man named Abul 1 with whom I engaged in general conversation until the time of prayer arrived.

Normally, before the prayer, the worshippers tend to situate themselves towards the front of the hall, filling each row and closing spaces between people as they move.

 2 The worshippers even make gestures of invitation to those behind to join the incomplete row. I have observed this process many times in mosques of various kinds and differing affiliations to Muslim schools of thought.

3 To my surprise, Abul never attempted to fill any space in the rows before him.

 Instead, I had the impression that he preferred very much to remain behind. Indeed, his efforts were so successful that Abul stood alone behind the last complete row of worshippers.

The prayer soon finished, and as usual, people exchanged greetings and shook hands, even with those whom they had met for the first time.

 However, nobody approached Abul. He returned to his corner, sat alone and read his Qur’an.

Although unusual, this would not have particularly attracted my attention were it not for an elderly worshipper who approached me and took me aside. Upon reaching a distance that presumably he thought would prevent Abul from overhearing us, he took my right arm with his hand and whis¬ pered close, Stay away from him.

He is not a good brother. He has been in prison and we hope that he’ll go somewhere else for his prayers.

Those like him do not change: they say that they’ve changed but they don’t.

We are honest Muslims and we do not want trouble, especially with the police.

Take care, and do not speak or sit near to him – or you could be in trouble. Those like him are bad Muslims: there is nothing to learn from them other than bad things and sins.