Paths chosen. Roads discovered.

All eyes fixed on a man wearing white cloak called kondura, as I listened to a Muslim woman dressed in black clothing known as abaya. The man illustrated how to pray, while the woman explained the words uttered in the prayer.
On a hot October morning, I found myself inside a mosque attending Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding program “Open Doors. Open Minds.” It was my first time to visit Dubai. Like any ordinary tourist, I visited Burj Khalifa, the highest skyscraper in the world, wherein I touched the glass windows hoping it was the same glass windows where Tom Cruise shot the scene for Mission Impossible IV. Also, I dined at the famous Burj Al Arab for an afternoon tea with my family, wherein my eyes feasted on the hotel’s grandeur and luxurious façade and interiors. In addition, I also enjoyed the beauty of the desert as I challenged and enjoyed the company of the sand in numerous activities such as dune bashing, quad biking and the famous camel ride. All these activities showed me how prosperous Dubai is not only in terms of wealth but also in culture and faith.
Amidst, all these exciting activities, the encounter when I observed how the Muslim Emirates pray touched my heart in a very special way. I realized that despite the differences in culture and beliefs, human beings share the common reverence and love to God. During the program, the speaker explained that Muslims have the same respect for the value of life. It pained them to see innocent lives lost due to wrong decisions made. It saddened them that terrorists used religion as a scapegoat to justify evil acts. It hurt them that Muslim faith is abused and depicted in the media as a doctrine of cruelty and revenge. One thing I can clearly remember on that warm morning, I began to pray silently inside the mosque. I realized that the mosque is not exclusive for the prayers of the Muslims alone; rather it is opened to anyone who just wants to have a special moment with God.