#9 SUNNI MOSQUE DINNER 9/29

Yesterday I was walking toward the market, when, with no introduction, a man walked up to me, smiled broadly, said “Hello, my brother!” and gave me a big hug. Inayat is from a significant local family, is “only a teacher” (his words), and is Sunni. He met Brad months ago, knew I was coming, and (since tourists almost never come to Booni) identified me immediately. He invited us to dinner, and tonight we went.

Brad, Freddy & I arrived at the family compound before 6, and some guy took us to a room. It was carpeted and had a dozen pillows or cushions against the walls (no furniture). We left our shoes outside, went in and waited. After a few minutes Inayat arrived, greeted each of us, and took us across the yard to the family mosque. Dinner had been set out on the floor in one corner of the mosque. The food was in serving dishes in the center of four overlapping tablecloths. About 15 men were sitting on the floor around the tablecloths. We joined them. It was like being at a table, but with no table. A few minutes later we heard a call to prayer, Inayat said something, and people started eating.

Picture it. It means food and feet can be pretty close together. The convention is this: If your feet encroach on the tablecloth, put your feet under the tablecloth. The meal consisted of 2 or 3 vegetable dishes, a meat dish, soup, large platters of rice, and a couple loaves of round flatbread about an inch thick; one had a layer of cheese inside. The chipottis were on a large platter beyond my reach. Inayat reached them. He picked one up and tossed it beside my plate. Then he did the same for Brad and Freddy and a guy beside Freddy. The other breads were shared. Want some? Just break off a piece. Water was in pitchers. We each had our own plate, but three water glasses were shared by all. We could reach much of the food, and dishes were passed when asked for or when someone thought we needed something. It was easiest for me to eat with the spoons provided, but most of the men tore off pieces of chipotti to eat the veggies and meat. It was my best Pakistani meal so far. The food was ample and delicious.

After about 25 minutes Inayat went to another side of the mosque, the side opposite the entrance, and all the men got up and joined him. He was front and center, facing the wall, and the other men formed a couple of rows behind him. Their prayers had begun. At first Inayat led the prayers. He spoke, and the men rose, knelt, and put their faces to the floor as a group. After a while there was no more group prayer, just soft individual voices. They stood, knelt, prayed individually.

We sat where we were, eating if we wanted, but not talking. A couple of men had young (under 10?) sons with them during the meal, and during the prayers one boy about 5 was walking around in the mosque. His 10 y/o sister came to the door and called him – twice. Then she just came in and took him out. Inayat finished his prayers, and we followed him outside. The prayers had lasted about 10-15 minutes (though a few men were still praying). During the meal a few words had been spoken, just to ask for something to be passed, but there was no conversation, just eating. Brad reminded me later that we 3 were the only ones who had eaten since before dawn. The rest were hungry, and the time for eating was limited.

Once outside we were joined by two other men from Inayat’s family and by the childred. We sat on chairs, ate apples, pears and grapes, and we talked.

I asked about the kids talking, and the girl calling, then getting the boy. He explained that children are allowed to be children. They don't need to join in prayers until 10 or 11. Inayat talked about Islam and said, among other things: the Holy Koran (and it was always the “Holy Koran” when he spoke of it, never just the Koran) instructs Muslims to respect other religions, that Muslims and Christians are brothers (which is why he first greeted me as he did). It is the duty of Muslims to welcome others, especially Christians.

He smiled almost constantly when he spoke. He spoke respectfully of Christ and Noah and Abraham (and a couple others I forgot). He criticized the Kalash people (a tribal group in northern Pakistan who have resisted missionaries and continue to practice a form of animism), for sacrificing many goats (200) as a ritual. He also spoke of the second coming, saying that Christ will return, and when he does he will become a follower of the Holy Prophet.

He invited us back for dinner every night for the rest of Ramadan. The food and gracious welcome were appealing, but we limited our commitment.