religion

I've already touched on religion somewhat in the narrative, but I wanted to set forth some more organized observations. I didn't ask any questions about religion, because I don't have the Arabic, or because I have no field research skills, or because I'm a coward. I know, I'm a bad religious studies major, but to be fair it's alot easier to pick up rocks and say "What's this?" than it is to say, "Why did you pick this spot to pray?" The problem with the language barrier is that even when I can figure out how to ask a sophisticated question, they don't expect it and assume I meant something simpler. Thus, most of what I know is what I've observed, which isn't that much because I felt a little awkward blatantly staring at someone praying for too long.

The adults pray a few times a day that I've seen. They tend to do it at the same time, but in their own space, except for one of the evening prayers, which they do together. This is usually led by Abu Laith, but was led by the grandfather the day he was here. There are clearly some parts that are led and other parts that they do at their own pace The kids sometimes join at their whim, but are ususally left to their own devices. They tend to sit still quietly and respectfully, but no one minds when they do start chatting with each other, or with me. Occasionally Abu Laith will pray and the women won't, although I have definitely seen the women pray by themselves as well when I'm with them during the day.

The kids are trained to it young. One of the first things Haneen showed me were the motions of Allahu Akbar. The toddler who visited would bend over and straighten, slurring "Allahu Akbar". It was super-cute. When the family prayed my second night there, Laith went through the motions with them and Haneen went back and forth between talking to me and her praying family. The first night, they had gone farther away from me to pray, and all the younger children stayed with me, including one girl who was old enough to be veiling, Rawan. I don't know when she'll start joining them.