Generous Musalla
This is a real-life incident unfolded in the city of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates(UAE). A pure expression of generosity that made my [Fri]day. Moreover, it came down as rain that cooled me off – especially in peak summer – after the elder son’s outright rejection of my invitation to Friday prayer.
The prayer has reached its final leg. Thus, I sprinted towards the mosque holding the ‘musalla’, a prayer rug used by Muslims primarily to cover the bare ground or floor while they pray. It’s common among worshipers, across middle eastern countries, to carry ‘musalla’ for Friday congregation prayer as a Plan B – to pray from the yard just in case the mosque is full.
Along the way, two young ‘sprinters’, who had a similar fate of mine, joined the race. In fact, we hurdled as the yards encroached by the worshipers ‘evicted’ from the overcrowded mosque.
Arriving in the mosque, one of the ‘sprinter’ accepted my offer to share the ‘musalla’ as we joined the prayer from the last row in the yard. Meanwhile, I turned the vertical rug horizontal; a futile effort that barely covered us from the heated floor. Amid our struggles to contain the soaring heat, each second during the prayer felt like an hour.
The second young man, who arrived a few seconds later than us, fortunate enough to have a rug, followed exactly the same. Despite the grim prospect of another worshiper at the last moment, he too turned the rug horizontal. Barefooted, under the scorching sun, completed the prayer on the rug, though none claimed their share of his generosity. Being witness to such an extraordinary gesture, I couldn’t resist myself to take a picture and upload it here.
After the prayer, on my way back home, I had a question popping in mind. Who would be the best worshiper in the mosque?. Is it someone who offered prayer with utmost care and devotion OR the unsung hero who unfolded the ‘musalla’ of generosity anticipating an unfortunate stranger?
SHARING IS CARING. But, your heart tends to melt when someone is CARING TO SHARE.