BLOG: Non-Muslims allowed in mosques
Two Muslims, a Jew and a Christian walk into a mosque . . . It sounds like the beginning of a recycled watercooler joke, but this was actually the scenario I was in a few days ago. I and a fellow American student, who happens to be Jewish, went downtown after class with our Arabic peer mentors. We took in the culture, ate at a famous Amman restaurant, and prayed (well, they were doing the praying; my friend and I were just taking it in from a bench behind them).
After we entered the mosque, my peer mentor, A’la, began reciting what he later explained to me were passages from the Quran. He did this quite beautifully, and before long, he has leading a group of about eight men (including my friend’s peer mentor) who were standing in a line a few feet behind him. Although I couldn’t understand much of what A’la said – except “Allahu Akbar,” God is greater – it was almost sublime just listening to him and taking in my surroundings.
It was later in the day, after the last of the five daily prayers, but there were still a decent amount of worshipers there. They would quietly take off their shoes, exchange brief pleasantries with their fellow brothers, and then prostrate themselves, performing a ritual that some of them have been doing since their childhood. Both my friend and I really valued the experience.
Before the mosque visit, the four of us checked out Hashem restaurant. There’s nothing fancy about the place, but it’s still well-known for its most royal clientele: the king stopped by the restaurant a couple years ago. The standard dish is pita bread, hummus, fool and falafel.
Aside from the good food, the service was quick (we started eating about three minutes after we sat down) and cheap (you’ll spend more at McDonald’s).
Facts and Myths in Jordan It’s taboo for non-Muslims to enter a mosque: MYTH
It should be obvious from this post, but this one is somewhat of a myth. I’ve been to a few mosques now— both in Jordan and in the states — and not once have I felt unwelcome. Now, it is important to note that the visitor should almost always be invited and escorted by a Muslim friend, and should abide by the mosque’s norms (turn off your cell phone!). If you know a friend who is Muslim, it might be worth asking him/her if it would be OK to visit the local mosque sometime.
It’s a great opportunity to view another culture and religion first-hand.
