Faith

Keywords : Shrek, Mecca, Christianity, Muslim

Ahmed, my Egyptian colleague drove us to hunt for lunch. The other chap sitting in front was Tarek, another Egyptian colleague and friend. He certainly reminds me of Shrek. :) Until 3 days ago, I didn’t know that there are also clean-shaven, fat & overweight muslims. So for my stereotyping…And the funny thing is, his voice sounds like Shrek and he laughs like Shrek too!

On the road, I asked if we can drive up to Mecca , which is only an hour’s ride away from Jeddah. I’d be happy to be able to visit the place since it is considered the holiest place by muslims…just to be able to witness the place and the people and the culture will be a great experience I thought. In school, we learned that the Kaaba or black stone is in Mecca. Every muslim, before he prays, regardless of where he is geographically located on the planet, has to make sure he faces the Mecca. I wonder how they know which direction to face? Perhaps every muslim carries a compass with them or they just instinctively know? I should ask Ahmed. These guys are good at orientations, maybe even the ladies. The other day we were inside the supermarket, again looking for food. Before splitting up, he said, don’t worry we will find each other, I will sms to you my coordinates when I’m done. Hmm…they probably think in “north 79degrees, 15 minutes, 30 seconds East”...Anyway, I was a bit disappointed when Ahmed said non-muslims are not allowed to enter Mekkah.

I asked Ahmed what makes Mecca the holiest muslim site and why do muslims worship the black stone. “Mekkah is the haus of God. We bilivh that Godth is there”, he explained. “Really?” He went on : “Adam construkted the foundations of the Kaaba in Mekkah, and Ibrahim bilt the billdinng”. Hmm.. I didn’t know Adam was a piling contractor and Abraham was a builder of buildings. The other day he also taught me new stuffs. I fired a hundred questions. ‘Who is Jesus?”, I asked. “He is a proffet’, he answered. “who is Mary?” …”Miriam is the goodest and best woman in the univers”. “Why?” I asked. “Becos the Koran says she is the besth”. “Who is Moses?” “He parrtd the red sea”. “What else does the koran say about Jesus?” “He didth many mirakhels..and yu know, when the pipl wanted to kill him, Allah took him to hevn, and yu know, Allah changed the look of Judas to becom like Jesus face yu know…then the Jews thot it was Jesus and so they killed him, but it was not Jesus they killed yu know”…”Ohh, ok…” Pause. “If you die now where do you end up?” I asked. “We belivv all muslims will go to heavn, but yu know, therh arh 7 levels in heavn. Mayybe if I am goodth, I will go to higher heavn togetherh with Ibrahim and Mohammad. If I am bad, I will go to hell”. “Really?” “yes, but if I go to hell, onli forh a short time, Mohammad and Miriam will ask Allah to bring me to heavn”.

I’m amazed at how closely linked Christianity is to Islam. In fact, it seems to me that Catholics and Muslims actually share and agree in about 90% of beliefs except the last part about the death and resurrection of Jesus and a little bit of the hell part. Most astonishing to me is their unreserved respect and praise for Mary. She is the most pure and most beautiful and perfect human being ever created and ever will be. They also believe, like us on the intercession of the saints. Oh, yes, the other day, I saw a beggar woman thumbing what looked to me like a rosary on her hand. I’m sure it’s not a rosary but it is a prayer bead of some sort.

At last we drove pass what looked to me like a huge fortress with circular barbed wires on top. I thought it’s probably a high-security prison or something similar. I quickly pulled out my handphone and took a snap of the full-battle geared black soldiers manning the entrance. Ahmed suddenly nervously said: “They will shoot us! Do not take pikhturs!!!”…It was the U.S. Embassy I just snapped and the soldiers there are understandably very nervous of terrorists…we were lucky the soldiers didn’t see me.