The Mosque in the city

The Grand Mosque of Rome stands as an awe-inspiring example of Islamic architecture and cultural richness. Its grandeur and magnificence left me in awe as I marveled at the intricate details of the tiles, and soaring pillars, as well as how the Mosque itself was designed to resemble a garden dotted with Palm tree. What truly took me by surprise, however, was the warm and welcoming nature of Imam, who was also our tour guide. I didn’t expect him to be to be warm and welcoming and I expected some level of reluctance because we were not Muslim. However, we were met with open arms and genuine hospitality; he was also very detailed when giving the tour. The imam engaged us in friendly discussions about the Islamic faith, culture, and the history of the mosque. This open-minded and accepting attitude was truly heart warming, and it reminding me of the power of mutual respect and understanding in bridging religious and cultural divides. Furthermore, the fact that the Mosque was described as a being “open” in the sense that it provides an open space for prayer for all Muslims was an eye opener; it didn’t matter if one were Sunni or Shiah, in Rome, any Muslim can worship there. I found that starkly in contrast with my pre-conceived notions of Islam since I perceived Muslim, like Christians and Jews to be highly fragmented to the point of violence and mistrust (take for example, the Iran and Saudi Arabia situation). Furthermore, I had pre-conceived notion that Muslims were generally intolerant towards non-Muslims and generally adapt an attitude of needing to “convert the other”. However, my visit to the Grand Mosque of Rome was a humbling and enriching experience, leaving me with a deep appreciation for the beauty of diversity and the warmth of the Muslim community in Rome, and turned my biases upside down. The Imam wasn’t trying to “convert” us, but was trying to genuinely explain the beauty of his faith. One question that I had in mind however was that is it all the same in the world? Will my experience here in the Grand Rome be the same, if let’s say, I walked into a Mosque in New York City, or Birmingham England? I guess the only way to find out is if I visited these other Mosques.

Until next time!

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