Visit a mosque

[Littileboy]

I was on a tour to Malaysia and was invited to visit a mosque to get to know about the country’s faith and culture. I didn’t want to pray, but I had to wear their clothes to get in. Is that wrong?

 

[pianistclare]

No. You were a tourist, not necessarily a person seeking their faith. It’s good to learn about other faiths and to respect their houses of worship.
Don’t we all wish tourists would respect ours?
Be at peace.

 

[jas84173]

I visited a mosque at the University I went too. The only thing required was no shoes inside the mosque. Look even if you aren’t of the faith you are still expected to adhere to the faiths beliefs while in their respective holy place. Goes for all religions.

 

[TheTrinitySaves]

I was on a tour to Malaysia and was invited to visit a mosque to get to know about the country’s faith and culture. I didn’t want to pray, but I had to wear their clothes to get in. Is that wrong?

You could have prayed like pope John Paul II did, but no means required if not comfortable or if they do not wish you to.1

 

[Lou2U]

“Wear their clothes”?

There is nothing wrong with dressing appropriately to enter a place of worship. I have visited countries where you cannot enter a church without covering up your shoulders. There is no issue.

Lou

 

[michaelArc]

I visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus when I was in Syria. It housed the Shrine of Saint John the Baptist. There was little doubt that I was in a holy place. It was an interesting, if not an enlightening experience to pray as a Christian next to Muslims.

 

[arthra]

I was on a tour to Malaysia and was invited to visit a mosque to get to know about the country’s faith and culture. I didn’t want to pray, but I had to wear their clothes to get in. Is that wrong?

I’ve visited Mosques in Southern California, Trinidad and in Israel.

When the congregation prayed Salat I stood silently in the background out of respect. We Baha’is have our own obligatory prayers that we recite alone in private.

 

[tigerprowl]

A little late replying to this thread but I visited a mosque last March in India, Mecca Masjid, in Hyderabad. It definitely was interesting to me to learn about other faiths up close.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

My Catholic school in 8th grade sent all of us to either a Synagogue, Mosque, and perhaps a Hindu temple. Odd to consider now that I realize must of us didn’t know our own faith.

 

[Catholic_farmer]

As a woman visiting a mosque, they asked me to wear a lightweight black covering over my clothes and, of course, remove my shoes. The woman in the dressing area also asked me to remove my cross and leave it in the locker provided. I don’t remember if I did so. You couldn’t see it anyway. I also had to wear something to cover my head and hair. I was in the military at the time and visiting a Middle Eastern country. I acted with respect and our group (all military members on a tour) heard about the way they conduct their services and why there are geometric patterns but no images, etc… We were not allowed in the main area because their were women in our group. The tour guide made an impression. He was very formal and did his job but his eyes were very hostile to us. It was very tense. We have never been at war with this particular country, but I’m sure emotions were running high because it was during the Iraq War. I have no interest in visiting a mosque again. It was interesting, but I would not want to go anywhere that required me to remove my religious necklace, especially if it’s small enough to simply tuck in under my shirt. I also would rather not dress in such a fashion again. To me, it felt repressive. Plus, my curly hair doesn’t accept such head coverings easily. A few strands kept slipping out. I was not meant to be Muslim.