by A.J. Carron

Created on: March 14, 2007   Last Updated: April 26, 2007

Time to convert?

Until recently, I'd never been to a major Islamic Country and boy was I quaking in my boots! The thing is it was I that booked the holiday and spent over 2-grand to bring my wife and three kids with me.
I live in a Christian Country (Roman Catholic, to be precise) and in the wake of Fundamentalist attacks upon Western Interests, people here were painting all Muslims with the one "terrorist brush" and stating to my face that I was f*ing crazy to be putting my family's lives at risk by going to this "backward, 3rd world place".

I paid no heed. I admit, I knew the risks...but in my mind the chances of some nutty fundamentalist kidnapping or killing me and my infidel family were slim, so off we went...
I'd travelled with the military during my younger days, but I'd never experienced a heat like the one in Egypt in June 2006. It was phenomenal. Apparently they were having one of the warmest summers for decades, and we were stuck in the thick of it for 14 days!
We kind of "stayed low" for the first couple of days, slightly fearing that what friends had warned us about might actually happen, but then we got brave and just bloody went for it. We also began to feel a little safer, because when locals found out we were Irish; they would chant "IRA Good! We love IRA. We love Irish!" (we're not supporters, by the way)
Okay. I'm getting to the point. We booked ourselves several excursions and went to see Tombs, Pyramids, Citadels, Mosques and Monasteries, etc. and even when our personal security wasn't in place; people greeted us with outstretched hands and broad genuine welcoming smiles.
I know they were eager for us to spend our money, but seriously, they didn't have to treat us with the respect and dignity that they did. It was humbling. It was an eye opener! These were Muslims interacting with and making decent time for us...the Christian Infidels! What the hell were the people back home talking about!
It was the same where ever we went. The native people would go out of their way to make sure we were comfortable; that we got what we wanted; and that we saw what we wanted to see.
Basically, when ever we were in a Muslim Community we were treated like we were part of the family. We felt totally relaxed. Also, the architecture of their buildings and holy places was absolutely awesome, and the experience within their Mosques was spiritually uplifting. We were never charged for entering or looking at their holy sites and never hunted out when "time was up"unlike what their counterparts at the Christian holy sites did!
Man! What dare I tell about this lot? When we visited the old Christian places our money was eagerly taken and we were herded through like blind, stampeding cattle, and given little chance to absorb the atmosphere, take photos, admire the architecture or even allowed for one second to "be at one with our God"! We were Christians, being treated like crap by other Christians.
My son made a comment. He said it was as if the Christian faith was only interested in money and materialism, whereas the Islamic faith seemed to treasure its people and the fact that we are all on the same journey.
When we left that Country, not only did we feel it was amongst one of the best holidays we've had, but we also came away with a different opinion of Muslims and their Faith.
It just goes to show that you should never listen to what ignorance preaches. Get out there and personally experience the real world. Get out there and experience the true religions.
Thanks to the Muslims of Egypt for their brief lesson in Islam. (I'll be back)

Learn more about this author, A.J. Carron.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.