 |
| Islamic Center of Saginaw |
In the past month since the Islamic Center of Saginaw has been opened to the public, I have been there twice, both times out of curiosity in Islam and at the urges of some of my Muslim friends. The first time I went was a few weeks earlier in October, when an openhouse was being held for the benefit of unbelievers and those interested in Islam, including myself and one of my professor friends. But my second visit gave me a second view of the local Islamic community without having to read the beatific and reader-friendly exhibits, allowing to see how they practice and preach.
I'd come due to a few of my friends urging me to come after I'd expressed a desire to watch the regular Friday prayers. One of them, a white girl who had converted to Islam a few years ago, particularly wanted me to come, which I did. Though I am a Christian, I am not adverse to Islam, unlike many other Christians that I know, and I was happy to experience the Jum'a prayers so long as I didn't worship along with the other Muslims. So I came to the mosque, dressed in my usual modest way, this time with a keffiyeh slung over my shoulders, and happened to meet the Imam, who was among the many Pakistanis in the congregation. Immediately after I began speaking in Urdu with him, he told me he was very impressed, and that I was welcome to stay to watch the prayers.
After removing my shoes, I ambled into the prayer area, sitting at the back, where I thought I would not be a disturbance for anyone. I listened to the azaan and the beauty of the muezzin's voice, which floated, I noticed, through the building's entire sound system. Not long after the Imam had begun his sermon on the importance of repentance, I realized, after women were gathering in the back, that I should really be up in the front with the men; I had committed a minor faux pas in violating common Islamic practice. Though nobody really seemed to mind, I got up and moved to the front, sitting on the ground with other Muslim men and listened to the sermon. After the final prayers had begun, I moved into the men's shoe-rack area and watched, while latecomers hurriedly snatched their shoes from their feet and got into formation with their brethren, some of them pausing to give their salaam to me.
I hadn't thought that I would be too much of a presence, but after the service, when the Imam began to converse with me in Urdu and Panjabi, I found the Pakistani presence in the mosque was more than I thought. Interestingly enough, many others after my visit seemed to assume that I was a Muslim, despite my not joining them in prayer and keeping myself erect and in the men's shoe-rack area while the congregation bowed towards Mecca; even today my local Indian Gujarati grocer friend, a Muslim, always greets me with "As-salaam aleikum." And the muezzin, also a Pakistani, grilled me in Panjabi for a few minutes to see how well I spoke. When I told him my name, he said, "What? Christopher? No Aziz-Hamzah-Hamid?" Meaning that he thought I was a Muslim, that I would have an Islamic name, and was soliciting a name change from me. Only the Imam and a few others knew that I was a Christian, but were very friendly about me being there, especially since I fit in well with the desi crowd, with my Urdu and Panjabi small talk.
I am looking forward to returning to the masjid soon, to get to know some of the local Pakistanis better, and also possibly to work on a project with one of my professors, who has proposed a study of the immigrants and their roles at the mosque. A bit of sociology to add in perspective to the religion. Until then, I will be studying Islam further to make sure I can better understand my similarities and differences.
