Muslim Prayers

[Unveiled Artist]

I have a question for Muslims.

At our college, we have a designated "meditation room" (predominately Muslim but the school can't discriminate space based on religious preference) for all people who want to pray, meditate, or so forth. It's not specifically for Muslims; and, they have the five prayers routinely and other things related to Muslim activities and rituals.

I'm praying during "non-prayer times" and three Muslims start talking in the middle of my prayers. I know, to me, it is disrespectful to talk especially louder than a whisper when someone else is praying. When I went to a Mosque, I was asked to take off my shoes just as the Buddhist temple I went to once. In some temples you can't wear hats and others you have to face a certain way during certain parts of prayer; and, even as a visitor, it's disrespectful if you walk out or don't follow the direction other people are praying.

That's the background.

In the Muslim faith, is it only disrespectful to talk louder than a whisper when another Muslim is praying or does it apply to all people of faith given the purpose of the room?​

We are college students; so, well, no one likes to "follow the rules" but I'm wondering if this is a genuine Muslim ethic or personal preference in who one wants to respect and who one does not.

 

[FearGod]

I have a question for Muslims.

At our college, we have a designated "meditation room" (predominately Muslim but the school can't discriminate space based on religious preference) for all people who want to pray, meditate, or so forth. It's not specifically for Muslims; and, they have the five prayers routinely and other things related to Muslim activities and rituals.

I'm praying during "non-prayer times" and three Muslims start talking in the middle of my prayers. I know, to me, it is disrespectful to talk especially louder than a whisper when someone else is praying. When I went to a Mosque, I was asked to take off my shoes just as the Buddhist temple I went to once. In some temples you can't wear hats and others you have to face a certain way during certain parts of prayer; and, even as a visitor, it's disrespectful if you walk out or don't follow the direction other people are praying.

That's the background.

In the Muslim faith, is it only disrespectful to talk louder than a whisper when another Muslim is praying or does it apply to all people of faith given the purpose of the room?​

We are college students; so, well, no one likes to "follow the rules" but I'm wondering if this is a genuine Muslim ethic or personal preference in who one wants to respect and who one does not.

As far as I know, if praying in a room or a house, a company ..etc, then the others
can talk with each other and even some may watch TV while the other is praying
in the same room, but in the mosque that can't be.

 

[danieldemol]

I'm not Muslim,
But may I suggest explaining the issue to whoever set aside the room and ask them if a sign could be put up requesting people respectfully observe silence during the prayers of others.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

As far as I know, if praying in a room or a house, a company ..etc, then the others
can talk with each other and even some may watch TV while the other is praying
in the same room, but in the mosque that can't be.

That's something I'm not used to. I know in a Catholic Church, any anywhere that is prayer-specific there is a general consensus among Catholics I meet that if we are praying, and/or see others pray regardless of where they are, we respect them by either talk in whispers or talk outside the room. What I do is wait until Muslim prayers are finished and then I walk out of the room because, like walking out in the middle of Mass, disrupting someone while they are praying is a huge disrespect regardless the faith.

I don't know if older adults have more respect for it and it's just a "college" thing. That could be it.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I'm not Muslim,
But may I suggest explaining the issue to whoever set aside the room and ask them if a sign could be put up requesting people respectfully observe silence during the prayers of others.

That's a good idea. I know one lady was doing her homework eating chips in the back while the other two talked. What was weird is, they didn't start talking until I came in. Of course, not being Muslim (not wearing a burka was a clue) probably they thought I was just using the place as a social lounge.

I thought it would be self explanatory?

 

[FearGod]

That's a good idea. I know one lady was doing her homework eating chips in the back while the other two talked. What was weird is, they didn't start talking until I came in. Of course, not being Muslim (not wearing a burka was a clue) probably they thought I was just using the place as a social lounge.

I thought it would be self explanatory?

It's really weird, why they didn't just leave and talk outside the room if they
finished praying, maybe one of them wanted to draw your attention.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It's really weird, why they didn't just leave and talk outside the room if they
finished praying, maybe one of them wanted to draw your attention.

I don't know. I prayed for a good thirty minutes while they talked, then turned to them. They kept talking and I finally eyed one. He stopped, and I said "can I pray now?" and he thought I meant pray with the other Muslims in fifteen minutes later that time. I told him, I'm not Muslim and I'm in prayer. They stopped talking for a short while. Then another friend came in, had his cell phone and they were talking as if I weren't in the room.

I mean, if I weren't still in the state of prayer, I would have walked out just then. They started their prayers in a group and I waited until they were done and then I got up to leave. I know many people probably wouldn't have that much respect (and patience) but the talking, I didn't understand. Maybe because they felt they were in the room first.

 

[Servant_of_the_One1]

I have a question for Muslims.

At our college, we have a designated "meditation room" (predominately Muslim but the school can't discriminate space based on religious preference) for all people who want to pray, meditate, or so forth. It's not specifically for Muslims; and, they have the five prayers routinely and other things related to Muslim activities and rituals.

I'm praying during "non-prayer times" and three Muslims start talking in the middle of my prayers. I know, to me, it is disrespectful to talk especially louder than a whisper when someone else is praying. When I went to a Mosque, I was asked to take off my shoes just as the Buddhist temple I went to once. In some temples you can't wear hats and others you have to face a certain way during certain parts of prayer; and, even as a visitor, it's disrespectful if you walk out or don't follow the direction other people are praying.

That's the background.

In the Muslim faith, is it only disrespectful to talk louder than a whisper when another Muslim is praying or does it apply to all people of faith given the purpose of the room?​

We are college students; so, well, no one likes to "follow the rules" but I'm wondering if this is a genuine Muslim ethic or personal preference in who one wants to respect and who one does not.

I think this has to do with conduct/behavior.

People with good behavior wouldnt talk loud while u are praying regardless whether we agree on religion or not.

You dont agree with muslim faith either yet u dont talk loud while we pray.

So personaly i wouldnt talk loud if Buddhist , Hindu, Jew or Christian prays.


Maybe they didnt know u were praying. Maybe they saw u sitting and though u needed to rest a bit.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I think this has to do with conduct/behavior.

People with good behavior wouldnt talk loud while u are praying regardless whether we agree on religion or not.

You dont agree with muslim faith either yet u dont talk loud while we pray.

So personaly i wouldnt talk loud if Buddhist , Hindu, Jew or Christian prays.


Maybe they didnt know u were praying. Maybe they saw u sitting and though u needed to rest a bit.

That's a good assumption. I can't fit all pagans in one slot. Many pagan plays are very active. Not bouncing around the room, of course; but, it's ritualistic just as Muslim. I'm sure you can distinguish it as a prayer even if a Muslim and Christian would call it something else. Maybe an act of devotion. If I can't have a good open space, I'll face a blank wall and pray. That couldn't have been mistaken, though.

I was thinking maybe either there was an ethic that Muslims only require respect of other Muslims when they are praying. Other thing I thought of is you can tell the space is territorial. I don't know if other people go in there to pray but Muslims, honestly. It does say meditation prayer room only; but the lady behind the chairs was on her lap top doing her homework while the Muslims were in their prayers.

Years ago, my friend and I were at the Basilica here in DC one time. Once in a blue moon one of the Popes will come to the Church on campus (I visit; I'm not a student). There are designated places where saint statures are on two floors. Sometimes tourists will literally come into the closed room while christians are praying, take pictures, talk, and then walk out as if they did nothing wrong.

Bothers me to no end.

 

[arthra]

I think Daniel above posted a good idea.. Ask the people who are responsible for the "room" to post maybe a readable card at the entrance of the room to be quiet and respect others in the room who are praying/meditating.

I've visited a few mosques and usually stand in silence in the back of the Mosque while they pray.
There's a Meditation Room at the University in my town and of course students can use it... I've been there a few times.

 

[YmirGF]

I agree with the others that a simple sign could be put up insisting people be respectful of others. We don't talk loudly in libraries, so this shouldn't be a big deal. That said, I would love to see the reaction of the Muslims if they understood that you were a pagan offering pagan prayers in THEIR space. (I know it's not their space, but they sorta own it at given times...)

 

[FearGod]

Or simply, they did not care a non muslim praying in the room.

I don't think so because such thing is happening if praying in a room or in the mid of a busy market.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I don't think so because such thing is happening if praying in a room or in the mid of a busy market.

Now thats messed up.

 

[FearGod]

They haven't embraced this fashion of praying on sidewalks yet here in Turkey ,sure we are not too far away.

I am also planning to make a social experiment in a sharia ruled muslim country such as confessing my atheism in front of a mosque during a friday prayer. Of course you will not be able to know the result since the dead cannot talk.

I don't think anyone care if they saw someone practicing his own religion in public in a Muslim country.

 

[ClearPath]

I think respect should be shown in a sacred place.
A Meditation/Prayer room should be treated as such and the volume of voices should be low. I admit I have never been in a temple, Mosque or any other non-Christian place of worship, however I would ensure that I respect the people who are praying.
College students make not fully understand the role of prayer in peoples lives, however I hope when they depart from college they will understand the need to talk softly in these places.
The same goes for specific religious places; if a Muslim came into a Church, I would expect them to respect the need to peace and calm; the same is for a Mosque or any other place - its merely a fact of inter-religion appreciation and respect.

 

[LukeS]

I am Muslim and personally wouldn't be talking loudly. Even if its not a official rule of the prayer room there are implicit codes of conduct. A Muslim ought to be the best example. I don't like too much noise anywhere. In my local mosque yesterday there was fairly loud chatter. A said a prayer (just recited from koran) and everyone hushed. But I could tell from their physical bearing that not everyone was psychologically comfortable with the hush, and quiet zikr - remembrance through simple repetitive formulas. Also, youths especially (20s 30s) can get excitable in discussing the religion I have found. I am quite a bubbly buoyant person, and learning to talk in a hushed voice has been a task.

 

[ClearPath]

I am Muslim and personally wouldn't be talking loudly. Even if its not a official rule of the prayer room there are implicit codes of conduct. A Muslim ought to be the best example. I don't like too much noise anywhere. In my local mosque yesterday there was fairly loud chatter. A said a prayer (just recited from koran) and everyone hushed. But I could tell from their physical bearing that not everyone was psychologically comfortable with the hush, and quiet zikr - remembrance through simple repetitive formulas. Also, youths especially (20s 30s) can get excitable in discussing the religion I have found. I am quite a bubbly buoyant person, and learning to talk in a hushed voice has been a task.

I think it is great that youths enjoy talking about religion; I am afraid I do not hear too much of that here.
There is nothing wrong about being buoyant - the world needs more people like yourself.