I don't plan on converting to Islam, but one of my friends who is Muslim wanted me to see for myself what it's like at a mosque, so being a good friend, I thought I'd return the favor they did me by taking an interest in things I do they wouldn't normally have had any interest in.
I arrived at 5:45 in the morning for the sunrise prayer and I was very nervous as I entered and took my shoes off, then made my way upstairs to the prayer room, still feeling very
I received a very warm welcome from the group who were already upstairs and although I couldn't understand a word of what was being said in the prayer, it felt oddly relaxing and as if I was a million miles away from the outside world sitting there listening to a prayer I couldn't understand the words to.
Once the prayer was over, one of the guys in the prayer group approached me and introduced himself and I introduced myself too. He took me for a tour around the mosque, and gave me a timetable for the prayer times and said he'd expect I'd come again tomorrow.
I probably won't come back, but it was a real eye opener seeing for myself what it's like inside a mosque, especially whilst a prayer is taking place.