I’ve always had a keen interest in various religions, particularly Islam, and recently, I had the opportunity to learn more about it. During my tour guide training in Gwalior, I shared an apartment with a Muslim man named Sana, and we’ve since become good friends. We lived together for six weeks in Gwalior, traveled together for a week in Jaipur and Agra, and I even stayed at his apartment in Delhi. I had long been curious about Namaz (the Islamic prayer) and was excited to learn more. On Eid, while staying with Sana, his friend Khesal, and Prem in Agra, we were just a five-minute walk from the Taj Mahal.
Sana is an unconventional Muslim. He once told me he was an atheist, while Khesal was a devout Muslim who would leave our training sessions to perform Namaz. Sana was quite open-minded, even about things like drinking, which is prohibited in Islam. On Eid, Sana and Khesal wanted to perform Namaz at the Taj Mahal, which offers free entry on this day. I asked if I could join them. Sana was supportive, but Khesal seemed concerned about bringing a non-Muslim to the mosque. I had discussed Namaz with Khesal the night before Eid and had some idea of what to expect, but I was both excited and a bit apprehensive.
I didn’t want to be stopped and told to leave because of my Hindu identity. Sana reassured me that everything would be fine if I followed his advice. He instructed me to hide the red thread on my wrist and to ensure my Janeu (sacred thread) wasn’t visible. Despite my excitement, I was nervous. I asked my friend Prem to join us, but he declined, citing his limited knowledge of Hinduism and his general discomfort. So, I went to the Taj Mahal for Namaz with Sana alone. I bought a handkerchief to cover my head and tried to blend in. With an estimated twenty to thirty thousand people present, I felt certain I was the only Hindu there, and as a Brahmin, I felt even more conspicuous.
When Namaz began, I was anxious about making a mistake. Sana had taught me the basics, and I was closely observing those around me. I did make a mistake, but Sana noticed and corrected me. I mistakenly recited the Gayatri Mantra instead of the Quranic verses, but I managed to complete the Namaz without drawing attention to my Brahmin background. Completing Namaz was a fulfilling experience. Sana had mentioned that regular Namaz practitioners seldom experience joint pain due to the frequent standing and bending. After performing Namaz, I ventured into the Muslim neighborhood behind the Taj Mahal and saw the festivities of the festival.
It was a wonderful experience, and I would love to learn Namaz properly in the future, especially with someone like Sana to guide and ensure my comfort.
Your stories are interesting!
Thanks
Very interesting. If u go into detail every act of namaz is a benefit. When u touch u r head to the ground static electricity is transferred to the ground. Also spinal fluids rush down and rejuvenate the spine. Blood flow to the head increases which decreases stress.
Also try reading Hadith which is a complete manual of the human machine. It is the manual Allah has given us to operate the machinery that is our body.
May you be guided on the straight path inshaAllah.
My prayers are with you.
Nazir,
Thanks for your prayer for me. I absolutely believe that Namaz is super beneficial for human body and soul. I would love to learn more about it by reading Hadith as you have suggested. And I feel like I am on the right path by having respect to all the religions. ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरो नाम, सबको सन्मति दे भगवान!
You prayed the Gayatri Mantra in the Islamic prayer? Too cool! I love that. 🙂
I’m a gay Muslim woman who has always liked Hinduism and yoga. I often kind of have both going at once too. I visit mandirs and even though I can’t really participate in the goings-on, I have feelings of reverence for it being sacred space. I feel lost when visiting a mandir because I have no idea what to do, and no one offers advice; I don’t know if they avoid me for being an obvious non-Hindu foreigner, or if it’s just normal for no one to talk to anyone else there. So I just sit there and feel the sacred space. I’ve written studies comparing hatha yoga and Islamic prayer, and the similarities are astonishing. My thesis is not that one tradition borrowed from the other, but that both derive from the same ultimate source. I like that you’re supporting gay rights here and just wanted to give you a shout out for that. I’m angry that I can’t go to mosques when I’m in India, because they don’t allow women in, which is deeply wrong. I mean, look at this, a Brahmin dude can go pray namaz in the mosque, but as a Muslim woman I can’t! Insane. Fortunately that is beginning to change these days as Muslim sisters reclaim their equal rights.
I found your blog while searching the lines of verse you quoted: ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरो नाम, सबको सन्मति दे भगवान. I heard Sheila Chandra singing that and wondered what was the origin of it. I also saw a picture of Gandhiji once next to these lines on a sign. The language looks a little different from standard Hindi. Is it a dialect? Having learned Hindi as a foreigner, I only know the standard language and not the variants. I feel better every time I hear someone quoting these lines. Gives me hope for the world. The relationship of Hinduism and Islam is NOT just centuries of conflict and hatred. There are also centuries of friendship, sharing, and spiritual communion, many instances in which the differences between the religions were overcome by friendship and understanding. Sad that all the good side of the history seems to have been forgotten today.
Bahnapa,
Thanks for writing. I am glad that you made such a beautiful comment on my blog. I think ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरो नाम, सबको सन्मति दे भगवान is mix of Hindi and Gujrati. These words like तेरो (तुम्हारा in Hindi), भायो (भाई in Hindi) is used in Gujrat. I am also sad that Indian mosques don’t allow women. Many people talk about this issue. I have heard that even Arab mosques also allow women but I don’t know why Indian mosques aren’t like them. Anyways, I was able to do the Namaz and it was a really nice spiritual experience. I still practice Namaz sometimes at home but am not perfect yet. I try to learn Namaz online and hope that someday I will be more confident and will participate in Namaz at mosques without help of any of my Muslim friends.
Your research sounds really interesting. Is it available online? If yes, then please send me a link. I would love to read it. I am always interested in similarities between different religions and I am sure if our religious and political leaders can talk about similarities rather than talking about differences and how one religion is greater than other, we will definitely have a beautiful world.
Thanks! My articles aren’t online any more, but I can e-mail them to you.
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