Mosque

Though the point of this story is not to decry Islam and uplift Christianity, I will say that my experiences around Islam have only helped set my heart concretely on Christ.  I offer now a picture of my visit to a Mosque.

We rounded the corner and the tower came into view. It climbed high into the sunny Malaysian sky and peered down with it’s white gaze. I had heard the call to prayer several times a day in the week I had been in the country. If there is something so drastically apposed to American culture, it is a call to prayer over enormous loud speakers. The aspects of this new and oh-so foreign culture had been building in my head all week. Each call to prayer added, little by little, to my limited views of Islam. As a devout Christian, this had been something quite new to me. But now that I stood before a Mosque, my mind went from a clinical intake of information to a surreal moment.

“This is really happening. I am standing at a Mosque in Malaysia.”

These thoughts bounced around in my mind. My friend and I went to the entrance labeled for men only. We took off our sandals and walked light-footedly on the sun-seared stone walkway. Perfect white stones lined the walls. Everything was either marble or stone.

An ornate walkway opened up to what seemed like acres of bright red and decorated carpet. The short tufts felt like walking on a giant toothbrush. Several pillars ran up and down the large auditorium. A small stage sat at the end. But I could tell easily that this room was meant for bowing.

And indeed, there were several men bowing. In another room, similar to this one, and not so adjacent, there was undoubtedly women bowing on a similar carpet floor. But men and women are segregated here. Some men lay on their faces, some kneel on both knees and bow to their noses. Most recite and chant unknown recitations. Silence abounded.

We walked out a side door to behold a large fountain gurgling quietly. Here men ritually cleanse their feet and hands. This is not the first time I had experienced this. Several religious cultures practice washing. In Japan, travelers will find people washing their hands at a Shinto Shrine. In fact, some Christian traditions practice washing each other’s feet.

Ornate structures and severely old books sat about the Mosque. So many aspects of the experience were so foreign to me. Despite my Christian beliefs, I believe it to be an important decision to visit another’s religious site, be it Mosque, Temple, or Cathedral.

anthony forrest