What my Muslim friends teach me
Wow…my fellow-bloggers are making me dizzy…I can hardly keep up with reading the posts, but I enjoy all the thoughts expressed.
My post is inspired by Khalid Hamid’s post, Trying to find my Muslim voice.
Many years ago, while I was a college student, I was hired by a Muslim man to teach English to his daughter. We would studay at the kitchen table. Often while I was in their home the family would gather for prayer, prompted by a chime or clock in their home. The father would apologize for interrupting our studies to answer the call to prayer.
I didn’t mind. In fact, the first time I remember feeling ashamed that I had forgotten to pray that day. I bowed my head and said my prayer in the kitchen, while they knelt in the living room.
This family exemplified the best of devoted Muslims. They exuded goodness and fairness. They were kind to me.
My family in the 90’s lived in Bangkok, Thailand. We lived near a Muslim community. Many Muslims became our friends. Quite often we heard the call to prayer. It was soothing, even calming to know people were taking time from their day to remember God. Many times I would be prompted by the call to say my prayers.
As a Christian, I try to pray often. Life and schedules can get in the way from making time for quiet contemplation and prayer. If I apply Stendahl’s rule #3, I can say that I have “holy envy” for a Muslim’s devotion to God through prayer.
When I hear Muslim call to prayer, it often serves as a reminder to me: Did I remember to pray?
I am grateful for what my Muslim friends teach me about devotion and reverence for God.
Related Links:
A popular song in our church:
Dana King, 45, volunteers in public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- St. Louis Missouri South Stake. She chairs the annual Discover Your Roots conference and serves on the Friends of Dred Scott committee. Dana is a contributor to outreach initiatives: knowyourneighbornet.org and BlackLDS.org. Dana is married, mother of two teens, and runs her interior design business. 
Dana; This is a great post. I wish I can be that concise. You are absolutely right. My devout religious non-Muslim friends make me feel the same kind of peace I feel around good devout Muslim friends. Some of the most inspiring and enlightening discussions occurs wit h deeply religious non-Muslims. It feels so good when you feel the best feelings and thoughts derived directly from your core belief can be shared, inspired and easily perceived by a God-seeking faithful of any religion. I think it is like in mathematics: If you reach the same answer using two totally different methods, the answer is, in all likelihood, correct.
khaled