Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To see such faith, even though I didn't agree with it, was an emotional experience. Goose-
pimples ran across my scalp, there was some heavy blinking of the eyes and then a few
deep calming breaths. This was one of those hallelujah moments that provide the raison
detre for travel to foreign climes.
Elsewhere in the mosque there was a group of chador clad women being addressed by an
Imam. They were a younger group and while they paid unblinking attention to what was
being said there was none of the emotion shown by the previous group. It was noticeable
that none of these groups paid the slightest attention to anybody else in the mosque.
This was a place of considerable importance to Shia Iranians. Because very few Syrian wo-
men dressed in this manner, the black chador stood out in the crowded streets.
I noticed a line of tour buses with Iranian number plates and similarly dressed women being
ushered aboard by an Imam. They could also be seen shopping in the Souq for all sorts of
items and lugging loads onto the buses.
It was time to leave the mosque and I went to collect my boots. The bloody things were
missing. Where the hell were they? I couldn't believe that I would be without the footwear
that had taken me through so many countries. There was another pair that seemed to be
unclaimed and I took these to the outer doorway and in a slightly grating tone asked:
“Who do these belong too?”
“I think you will find these are mine.”
I saw that one of the women in the group was holding my boots and without apology I bent
forward and said while I pulled them her hands:
She recoiled slightly but didn't protest when I gave her those that I was holding. For me
this was relief indeed. It seems she had taken mine, believing them to be her husband's. To
other's it was a little thing. To me it was potentially major.
There is a range of theories about the Second Coming of Christ. How he will come, when
it will occur and what will happen when it does. There is also the question of where it will
occur. Some say Jerusalem, others say Mecca, while others again say Damascus.
Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad prophesied several events to occur just be-
fore the advent of the Day of Judgment The Antichrist will fool people into believing that
he is the Christ or God and ask people to worship him. True believers (Muslims) will reject
him but will not be able to defeat him on their own.
