A Doha parking lot
Our hotel in Doha had a balcony, and when we stumbled out onto it on Friday morning, we were greeted by one of the most interesting sights I've ever seen.
It's very common to see small groups of men at prayer in public. But as a non-Muslim, it's very, very difficult – impossible, really – to catch a view like this. Most mosques in Dubai are walled off and the privacy of the grounds is jealously guarded.
This is an overflow crowd, though you wouldn't know it by the perfect rows the men fashioned. An ordinary parking lot, with dumpsters and cars strewn about, was utterly transformed.
They spilled deep into the back lot.
Every man has his own prayer rug.
In perfect, almost startling unison, the men bowed…
…and then knelt.
It's very common to see small groups of men at prayer in public. But as a non-Muslim, it's very, very difficult – impossible, really – to catch a view like this. Most mosques in Dubai are walled off and the privacy of the grounds is jealously guarded.
This is an overflow crowd, though you wouldn't know it by the perfect rows the men fashioned. An ordinary parking lot, with dumpsters and cars strewn about, was utterly transformed.
They spilled deep into the back lot.
Every man has his own prayer rug.
In perfect, almost startling unison, the men bowed…
…and then knelt.
posted by Eric at 5:02 AM
1 Comments:
Talk about an impetus to get your ass out of bed and get to the mosque well before the call to prayer! There's a certain Darwinian aspect to this - show up really late and you don't even get to pray in the shade. Dehydration be damned! Allah will provide!
Post a Comment
<< Home