Dr. Hoover teaches Introduction to Islam and Islamic Theology at the Near East School of Theology. Today his classes had a field trip to tour downtown Beirut Mosques and an Orthodox Church and Dr. Hoover invited me to join them. There are six Mosques in the downtown area. We visited Mundhir Mosque, also known as the Nawfara; and The Great Omari Mosque. The latter is a former Crusader Church converted to a Mosque.
Dr. Hosn Abbaud, a Muslim Scholar, was our guide. We spent some time inside the Great Omari Mosque sitting in a circle. Dr Abbaud talked about the Annunciation being a link between Christians and Muslims. It is a story shared in the Qur’an and the Bible (in the Apocrypha).
For the past four years there has been a Feast of Annunciation, which Dr. Abbaud has help led and organize. More information is at these links:
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=14816
http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2009/03/lebanese-christians-muslims-celebrate.htm
I was wanting to ask Dr. Abbaud about the prayer time and as it is a physical commitment along with mental, how people with disabilities participate. As we sat in the Great Omari Mosque, the call to prayer began and we were smack dab in the middle. And the answer to my question revealed itself when the leader rolled up to the microphone in his wheelchair. Mystery revealed and actually no mystery at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment