You can listen to the Podcast of this episode at: http://blogthereligions.com/node/68

Madinatul Ilm Islamic Center
5013 Garden Lane
Tampa, FL 33610

Book Recommendation: The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

Religion: Islam

Denomination: Shia

Web Page: http://www.ourmasjid.org/

Quick note: My audio equipment crapped out, so sadly only 60% of the interview was recorded, but I believe there will be enough for my show that should air on 15 February March 2009. My apologies for the failure, and perhaps in the future I will have to perform a follow up to capture those missing minutes.

The History

I think the first time I really came into contact with someone practicing Islam was at the airport. I was returning from a business trip, lugging my bags to my shuttle, when I noticed a group of taxi cabs to my right. A few of the men had laid down some prayer mats and were in the process of kneeling and praying.

This was a few years after 9-11, and anti-Muslim sentiment was still high. I actually admired these men. They probably knew that people were looking at them, but they performed their acts of faith with quiet dignity and courage.

Saturday night at the Madinatul Ilm Islamic Center was my second. Before then, I had read a little bit of The Qu'ran, the book of scripture that Muslims take guidance from.

This particular group's denomination is Shia Islam. All Muslims believe that Islam is a directly continuation of the religion practiced by Abraham and David (of "Goliath" fame) and Jesus (though they don't consider Jesus a part of God as Christian religions do, but a great prophet).

Around 600 AD, Muslims believe that Muhammad received a revelation from God or, as they call him, Allah, calling people to repentance and to worship Allah as in ancient times. This call was picked up, and by the time of his death, Islam was already a major religion.

Where Shia Islam separates from other denominations (mainly Sunni) is what happened after Muhammad's death. According to the Shia, leadership was passed from Muhammad to Ali Abi Talib, and from there to Imam Husayn, who was also Muhammad's grandson. Imam Husayn later died as a martyr.

The Experience

The Madinatul Ilm Islamic Center is a humble place, like other churches that I've visited. A house converted for use as a worship center. There are actually two areas - one for the women, one for the men, separated by a wall, with a small window cut out with a curtain in between. On one wall lay a small library, and a seat for the speaker to sit and discuss the lesson from.

The rest of the room was carpet. As people came in, prayer mats were laid out. One thing I found interesting was a small shelf of tiny clay tablets about the size of my palm. During prayer, members will rest their foreheads on a natural object - clay, rock, a leaf, anything that was made by nature. My host explained that when one prays outside, the simple grass could suffice.

First came the call to prayer, a call that was sung. Long tones that rang through the room as people prepared.

The actual prayer ceremony was spoken by the guest speaker. The men stood before their mats, one man speaking the prayer, the other men responding. At times they would bow, or kneel with their forehead lowered to their clay tablet.

After the prayers, the men formed a line, each shaking the hand of the person in the front. This proceeded until the line became a circle, so each person shook the hand and greeted everyone else.

Directly after the greeting, men sat directly on the floor, cross legged. I had to keep shifting position - my legs kept falling asleep. A person sat in the middle of the room, reciting from scripture - sometimes in what I assume to be Arabic, other times in English. The first person partly sang his reading, and I was impressed by his voice. It was a beautiful recital, even though I didn't understand his words, but I could feel the spirit behind them.

After the readings, the guest speaker Sheik Farok Abdulghani spoke. The sermon was in English, and I wish my audio storage device hadn't picked that moment to crap out on me, because it was a great sermon. It was about the proper order of good actions - not just doing things out of ritual or pure faith, but first by understanding the reasons behind the actions and why they are to be taken, then picking the best actions and carrying them out, then using those actions as a testament about faith - in this case, faith in the message of Islam.

As the sermon wound down, Sheik Farok spoke of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. The lights were dimmed, and men started patting their chests in rhythm. A song was sung, the men joining in as they beat their chests to the beat. As they sang, sometimes someone would say something I believe was "Imam Husayn" and the group would repeat it. It felt to me like an experienced of shared sorrow and regret, loss over a leader who stood up to the powers that be for his faith. At times, the group grew more intense, other times to a soft hum as they sang.

What I Found Beautiful

By now, you've likely noted my fascination with how each organization builds community. Some have established rituals where each person meets with each other, others do it via shared beliefs to build that sense of connection. The first greeting ritual, then this song of shared faith and loss.

One thing I found very impressive is as latecomers would arrive, almost all would notice me as a newcomer, come to greet me with a handshake and a smile. Everyone was very friendly, making sure I was comfortable. Even after the service, I was encouraged to stay and eat with them. These were very gracious people, and I was pleased to have met them all.

I was also pleased in my discussion with Sheik Farok about the level of acceptance with other faiths. As it turns out, the group features a one-a-month shared worship service with a Christian church in Tampa.

I found the service itself, the reading/singing from scripture to be very lovely. I thought the entire experience was fascinating and a beautiful experience, and I was pleased to have been allowed to be within them.