I was reading an article this morning about a computer simulation being used by the military to evaluate tactical situations in Iraq (it was actually pretty interesting, which proves I'm a geek), and one sentence caught my eye: the simulation designates certain people as 'religious', and those are shown going to the mosque five times a day to pray.
Well, heck, I don't know a whole bunch about it, but I'm pretty sure that although you can go to the mosque to pray the required five times a day, you don't have to -- you can be religious and pray wherever you are, when the time comes. (There's a thought: if in Arab countries they have that guy, I forget the title, who plays the come-to-meetin' call over the loudspeakers at the requisite times, what do you do if you're someplace where they don't have that functionary? What about a service: we'll page your beeper with a special code, five times a day... I think that could work, right?)
But anyway, I don't think you have to go to the mosque to pray, every day. At least, thats my hunch. But if I'm right, then what other bad assumptions does this massive simulation make?
2 comments:
I worked with a guy who prayed three times during the work day. He just found an out of the way place to lay out his prayer rug, knelt, and prayed. Didn't take much time. I presume he also prayed a time or two at home, but we didn't call him on it.
I believe that if you cannot make it to the mosque easily, you do it like Akmed did, right there at the work place.
Yep, that's my take, too. Its funny, in a way -- I'm not all that fond of going to church once a week, but the idea that these people pray five times a day is impressive to me.
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