There is a haunting loveliness about minarets. Deep feelings are evoked and I feel a mixture of emotions when I see them, even more when I hear the Call to Prayer ring out over cities. Towering above other buildings, graceful and stately, they mark the skylines and landscapes of cities throughout the Muslim world. When I am away from the Middle East, this is some of what I miss. Though I am not a Muslim, they call me to pray for these countries and their people. Here is my photo tribute to minarets.
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- “Ragaouna Misr” Take Us Back to Cairo! (communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com)
Marilyn R. Gardner 
Love your blog, I just stumbled upon it by accident. I lived in Cairo for years and miss it so much. I’m not sure if watching pictures of it really helps but at least it touches something so deep in me… thank you!
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Leila – so glad you found me by accident! I too miss Cairo so much and so relate with your comment. I also agree with you- I’m not sure that pictures help or hurt…but I’d rather have them! We had an extraordinary time visiting at Christmas – but as you can imagine, a visit is not enough when you’ve lived there! You might want to take a look at these posts – see if they resonate. https://communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com/2011/12/30/ragaouna-misr-take-us-back-to-cairo/ and https://communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com/2012/02/07/saudade-a-word-for-the-third-culture-kid/
I look forward to taking a look at your blog and thank you for dropping by!
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Thank you! I will definitely check out those posts!
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this is such a lovely tribute to us muslims by a non-muslim. thank you for spreading love.
minerats surely do have a grandness to them.
some of my foreigner friends who visit our city has stated that they are woke up in the wee hours of the morning by the prayer call – some find it a disturbance … I guess it takes a bit getting used to … :)
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Amira – thanks so much for your kind words. I’ve heard the same thing from visitors about it being a disturbance. I grew up with it as an alarm clock so it’s a part of my life. I will say that Friday morning sermons can be harsh depending on how close we were to the mosque!
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Thank you for your perspective. The photos are beautiful. In all of life there is beauty…we can choose to see it or we can live in fear of the unknown…thanks for showing us beauty today.
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Judi – it’s so true. Fear never built bridges. Thanks so much for taking a look and commenting.
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Beautiful post Marilyn.
One of the most moving experiences I had was while I was looking out of my hotel window at the road and courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, as the call to prayer rang loud and clear and I could see the people hurrying to pray. There was something indescribably beautiful and touching about the way they were rushing to answer the call to prayer. it was the Tahajjud prayer i remember and in the early hours of the morning when most of the world is asleep.
I had a similar experience recently in the square outside a church in Czech. Now a high percentage of the population there is still atheist or agnostic, yet here were people of all ages; old people and young, all rushing to attend the evening service. I just sat there silently and watched them. It was beautiful.
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Pari – thanks so much for sharing this. I find your experience in Czech so interesting. That in as you describe, a highly “unbelieving” environment, you saw people rushing to pray. I’m so glad you shared this.
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Living close to a mosque for most of our years in Pakistan, I can still “hear” the call from the minaret. Thanks for the photos.
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And I think I remember the one that you heard! Walking those streets in Shikarpur last year by your house brought back so many memories. Today is one of those days when I miss the Middle East so it’s fun to have a venue by which to share! Thank you Bettie for so much…
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