A True Namaazee?
By Khalid A.
London , UK
In the February 9th Daily Telegraph, London, there is a news item about a ‘true’ namaazee. He is a Muslim bus driver who stopped his bus in the traffic and started his prayer in the aisle. The bus was full of passengers. The doors were locked by the driver, so nobody could leave or enter the bus. He did not make any announcement or offered any explanation.
In the UK, the authorities have provided prayer rooms in hospitals, airports, hotels and educational institutions etc, where facilities for wuzoo and prayer mats facing Qibla are provided. One would expect namaazees to be pious persons who would be considerate to others. Not so, here! They would ignore all rules and continue to pray in corridors, dining halls and stair halls, blocking pedestrian traffic and disrupting official activities. They would often leave bathrooms messy and dirty. People have been seen praying in the aisle in a flying aeroplane. In general, there is an air of arrogance around such people, as if they are superior to all others. Where is the humility that should be the hallmark of a true worshiper?
Sometime back I was listening to a radio talk show. A Muslim caller was on line. He was demanding that Muslim workers should be given breaks “five” times a day for prayers during office hours. I was driving, so I could not join the discussion. I would have liked to ask whether he wanted breaks for Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers that are generally outside the office hours. Why could he not offer Zuhr prayers during the lunch break and a short Asr prayer during the afternoon coffee break? Why do we have to make everything difficult for everyone?
A few years ago, I bought a prayer mat in Pakistan. There was a label attached to it, saying, “Naqqallon se hoshiar rahein,” meaning, beware of imitations. One has to reflect whether we should beware of imitated prayer mat or more importantly be wary of imitated namaaz. And once the Namaz is finished, how do we tackle all other imitations in our daily life?
Allama Iqbal says:
Tera dil toa hai sanam aashna, tujhey kya miley ga namaz mein?
There have been cases in Pakistani hospitals where patient care is neglected because the doctor has gone for prayers. I personally know a case where, during the month of Ramadhan,a heart attack patient was asked to come the next day. The poor man died during the night. When the staff at the Cardiology Centre was quizzed, they admitted, off the record, that no senior doctor reports for duty after Friday prayers, during the month of Ramadhan! The holy month is for more Ibadat. Is patient care not true Ibadat?
