THERE were still traces of morning mist as the time for the congregational noon prayer approached on a Friday in early September. The streets, decorative stones, and old trees surrounding the mosque glistened with the summertime dew, cooling the air and the heart.

An indistinct murmur could be heard in the distance, shortly replaced by the sound of the athaan or call to prayer. People could then be heard reciting the Qur'an. Here, in this Mu