re: #72 Sol Berdinowitz

checked out the page. sad part is that these people really worry that god/allah cares about what sort of structure they use to worship…

It’s not about the structure, it’s about power/control. In Islam prayer is allowed almost anywhere. Bathrooms, graveyards and the like are prohibited, but anywhere else is fine, hence the portable prayer rug (which is kept free from ritual impurities and can be laid out pretty much anywhere). The important thing is that the prayer is performed on time.

That’s why you hear about people getting freaked out by Muslims praying in airports or whatever. In NYC it wasn’t uncommon to see Muslims praying in parks if that’s where they happened to be when prayer time rolled around, or even on sidewalks outside mosques on Fridays when things got too crowded indoors. Important communal prayers—like the one marking the end of Ramadan—are often held in large open spaces like gymnasiums or parks.