One of my favorite counselors when I went to summer camp as a kid was a guy named Farouk.
Egyptian and a Muslim, if memory serves me, he also looked a lot like Omar Sharif at the same age, like this photo.
Now this was a long time ago (the early 60s, actually), and there wasn't the 'oh my gawd he's a Muslim' problem he'd face trying to get the same job today.
But, knowing what I've learned since, I'm sure he wasn't a very serious Muslim, yet he did believe in the beauty and power of his religion, as many religionists do.
So, when it came time for our camp unit to come up with a skit for the camp talent show it was suggested by Farouk, and unanimously approved by the kids, that we all learn the proper Islamic way of prayer.
Come talent show day, there's a whole line of prepubescent American boys (mostly blond and freckle-faced) standing up, saying "There is no God but Allah" (in proper Arabic), kneeling down, prostrating ourselves, and doing the whole ritual that millions of Muslims do every day around the globe.
Did it feel ridiculous? Sure, but no more so than any genuflecting religious gestures would have, especially for an irreligious kid that age. (Though several million Islamic kids do it twice a day without a thought.)
In retrospect, am I happy I did that? Sure. Even more so than going to Catholic church with my altar boy buddy from junior high school. Even more so than attending Jewish services later in life. Even more so because Farouk was not only an incredibly sweet guy, he was married to an incredibly buxom and beautiful redhead he'd met and married while at UCLA.
So, if you think I hate Muslims, you're wrong. No more than I hate Jews (even the orthodox ones, who are just ragheads of a different stripe), or Catholics, or even Protestants. (Well, some Protestants, but they make it easy.)
I don't hate the people, even the ones who insist that theirs is the Way. I just hate the fact that belief in any Way makes people do stupid, hurtful things (oh, the Inquisition, say, or the Holocaust) that they don't really need to do.
So if you read things in this blog that make you angry, so be it. Anger is a good thing, sometimes. But just be sure what you're angry at before you respond; is it really me, or is it your own blindness and belief structure?
That may have been Farouk's way of converting a bunch of WASPs to Isalm, enshallah.
ReplyDeleteActually Omar Sharif was Born to a Roman Catholic Family he converted to Islam to marry his wife that's all never accepted Islam truly now he says he and his son are not religious but that's because he doesn't want to offend his son who was born from a Muslim woman. His marriage broke up when his sons mother and family tried to educate his son in Islam. The four great Satan's Jews, Negroes, Muslims and Christian Zionists. Target all of them spare none raise the black flag on them
ReplyDeleteOmar Sharif Didn't convert till he was in his late 20's. BTW Allah Akbar means God is Great you will hear Christians in the middle east saying that. So when The JewSA military is bombing innocent people those screaming it might be a Catholic who very well may be a descendant of yours from the crusades like most of the Catholics in Palestine Syria Lebanon Iraq. I'm from NE Phila and I hate Jews with a passion they have destroyed the United states my solution to world peace Nuke Israel and Oven all Jews and deport Blacks back to Africa on the same filthy slave ships they came in.
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