Qur’an in the Park

So I go to the park with my children – there are about 4 families there consisting of toddlers and preschoolers and a few moms.  There is a Muslim man there with some little ones - 3 or 4 – and he is sitting on a bench next to the swings, reading.  Whatever.  But after a few minutes, he starts chanting something in Arabic.  He is reciting the Qur’an.  This goes on for a few minutes and he isn’t stopping.  It is annoying.  I am annoyed.  I was trying to read my book.  It is not like people chatting and the background noise of little kids playing.  This is loud, monotonous, arabic chanting from the Qur’an.  For all I knew he could be reading one of the really great verses like, oh, I don’t know…

“He who fights that Islam should be superior fights in Allah’s cause”

or these – “Fight them [the unbelievers], till there is no persecution and the religion is God’s entirely”

“Fight those who believe not in God and the Last Day”

even better – “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them”

So I whip out my iPod, sling the headphones around my neck, turn on My Chemical Romance at top volume and sing along.  Heh.  Two can play at that game.  I would never think of going to a public park to recite the Torah.  I cannot imagine a Christian going to the park to say the Rosary.  Chutzpah!  

This the same park where I wore my Israel! T-shirt on what turned out to be Muslim Family Fun day – haha.  I had a few looks that could kill but at least this isn’t Detroit or no-go areas in London and I don’t have worry about being beat-up, kidnapped or otherwise abused for being a Jew.  At least not yet.