Evening Call - 03/02/94
Islam display cabinet
Close up of Alhambra souvenir
Close up of old prayer mat
Very close shot of threads
In the St. Mungo's Museum, stands a souvenir of the Alhambra Palace in Cordoba. Now, the gardens of the palace, with their fountains and shade may be a reminder of the Gardens of Paradise, and the intricate patternwork on the walls may be beautiful, but does it really have anything to do with religion? A rug may be used for prayer, but may equally well be just for decoration, so how does the effort involved in the 1000's of knots tied laboriously by hand relate to worship?
Medium shot old prayer mat
Alhambra souvenir
Alhambra detail pictures
In Islam, the word for worship is 'Ibadat, an Arabic word also meaning service or slavery. Worship is not confined to Prayer and Pilgrimage, but should run through every part of your life. Whatever you do, work or play, should be done to the best of your ability in the service of God.
Lustre tile close up
Alhambra tile detail
Taj Mahal tile detail
Taj Mahal souvenir
Carpet knots Close up
Chain Mail Close up
Armour Medium shot
Armour Helmet
This brings very practical advantages. For example, trying to do the best you can has the effect of relieving boredom. Why do children not get bored from the repetitive actions of a computer game? Because they are always trying to do a little better than the time before. How much easier it is to get up in the morning to work on something you want to achieve, whether that be some hobby, fixing the car, decorating the house, or just improving your golf. Similarly, living our lives in the service of God relieves us of the anguish of our slavery to man.