All You Need Is a Praying Heart sans Religious Ostentation

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 20 July 2022 Don't Behave Like Robotic Zombies, Governed By Thousands Of Years Of Religious Instincts; Use Your Brains ----- Lulu Mall in Lucknow ----- "Dete Hain Ujale Mere Sajdon Ki Gavahi Main Chhup Ke Andhere Mein Ibadat Nahin Karta" (The daylight vouches for the integrity of my faith / I don't worship in the dark) The over-devout Muslims, who offered namaz at the newly-opened Lulu Mall in Lucknow, seem to have been overtly influenced by the literal meaning of the aforementioned Urdu couplet. After that, some miscreants from other religion threatened to read Hanuman Chalisa! Absolute asinine behaviour of all ' faithful ' is obvious and it's such a big eyesore. First of all, offering namaz or prayers at a public place is a travesty of faith. All religious practices and offerings are and must be private. I once asked a Muslim scholar whether offering namaz on train/bus or a public place was indeed mandatory. He told me categorically that it was an act of outright sanctimony on the part of a believer (read Muslim) to offer namaz during travel or at a public place. He quoted Imam Ghazali, “Your commune with the Almighty is not a public spectacle." To quote a line from a song in the old film 'Sangam' (1964): " Sunte Hain Pyaar Ki Duniya Mein Do Dil Mushkil Se Samate Hain / Kya Ghair Yahan, Apnon Tak Ke Saaye Bhi Na Aane Paate Hain " (In the realm of love, even two souls squeeze in with great difficulty / So much so that even close ones can't enter, let alone, the outsiders). Why should others be a witness to your love for the god? ‘Be a tad reticent and not vocal, when you love your divine beloved ' wrote Hafiz Shirazi, the past-master of love ( esp. divine love). Offering Namaz in public is a conditioned behaviour, the Muslims, and now others as well, are afflicted with. Don't behave like robotic zombies, governed by thousands of years of religious instincts. Use your brains. We all seem to have made religion and worship a very public and boisterous affair. This also shows our religious arrogance and spiritual monomania. It's an attempt to flaunt one's devoutness. Your god or Allah, if at all it does exist, is not bothered whether on a specific day, you offered Namaz or prayers at a swanky mall, an airport lounge or on a ramshackle bus in the presence of many people and passengers, what's most important is your praying heart and an honest intent that don't require this Nautanki (charade). Alas, the followers of all religions are more into vociferous display of their faiths than the silent practice of their religiosity. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/praying-heart-religious-ostentation/d/127522 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism