This is Not Islam

THIS IS NOT ISLAM D uring one Ramadan, a riot broke out in a place. On December 25, 1987, I met a man from that area and asked him about the incident. He told me it happened at night. Muslims were praying Tarawih in the mosque when they suddenly heard noise from the street. A wedding procession from another community was passing by, stopping in places to sing and play music. Some Muslims came out of the mosque and told them, “Please don’t make noise here, we are offering prayers inside.” But they refused to listen. An argument followed, and eventually it turned into a riot. I said to him, “This is how you responded. Now let me tell you how the Prophet of Islam dealt with such situations.” I explained, “You know that in the early days, Makkah and the Kaaba were under the control of nonMuslims of Quraysh. They used to trouble the Prophet and his companions in many ways. One example was this: whenever the Prophet and his companions went to the Kaaba, the polytheists would make noise. They would whistle and clap, saying, ‘This is our way of worship.’ The Quran says: “Their prayers at the Sacred House are nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. ‘So taste the punishment because of your denial.’” (8:35) Commentaries on this verse explain it as follows: