i went to see him again.

"what's your religion about?" i asked.

his eyes lit up. "it is about the beloved," he replied.

i challenge anyone to understand islam, its spirit, and not tolove it. it is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion.

the mosque was truly an open construction, to god and tobreeze. we sat cross-legged listening to the imam until the timecame to pray. then the random pattern of sitters disappearedas we stood and arranged ourselves shoulder to shoulder inrows, every space ahead being filled by someone from behinduntil every line was solid and we were row after row ofworshippers. it felt good to bring my forehead to the ground.

immediately it felt like a deeply religious contact.