I think that, henceforth, everyone (Muslim or otherwise) boarding a plane should have a traditional Muslim beard – if you don’t have one of your own, wear a false one. Women, too, plus they should wear a burqa. And from under yer burqa, make ticking noises!

Wasalaam

TMA

There was another incident, a flight out of England to somewhere.
Two men- not praying but suspect due to looking Asian and speaking Arabic caused something of a mutiny on the plane, with
passengers demanding that they be removed and others storming
out because the men wore leather jackets and looked at their watches frequently. In the current climate we can only see more of
this stuff. What is interesting in these cases is not that suspicious
people had to go through security and get cleared. Instead, there
was a dangerous slip into public acceptance of targeting people regardless of their guilt or innocence. Isn’t this a form of mob rule
with hysteria rather than rational implementation of regulation ruling the day? So people can stop praying. But how can they erase physical
characteristics to comfort others? These are serious violations of
civil liberties…...

Whenever my unhijabed Irish looking self walks through airports I say to myself, you fools, I am one of the ones you are afraid of.

This reminds me of a story in which my dad was on a plane and was sitting behind the actor who was the bomber in the film “Airport.” My dad leaned forward and asked to make sure that he wasn’t carrying anything this time.

If Gunt’d wouldn’t mind me giving a permissible legal exception here. If you must, you can pray “in your head” or by just bowing your head rather than “prostrating” towards the seat in front of you (like for a plane crash, eh?), and use minimal hand gestures.

Physical charateristics? Can’t folks conk their hair and use skin lighteners? God help us, the more things change the more they stay the same.

Ginan, the reaction of people post 9/11 only goes to show that terrorism WORKS! People are divided and suspicious and afraid and willing to give more authority to politicians…

- A Salafi in worship, a Sufi in society, a Secularist in government.

Omar some days I just don’t know how to combat my despair.
so how do we as citizens react? how do de-toxify and desist
from feeding the hysteria?

Laury should I consider a name change? do you think I could
pass for white? not quite Irish but maybe Italian or Slavic.remove my ethnic looking jewelry? tell them I don’t know how to pray?

Act indignant and claim you are an adherent of Gardnerian Wicca.

After the British bombing the CBC (Canadian) interviewed a Canadian Muslim on vacation in London. The man mentioned that when he goes on a bus, everybody gives him nervious looks.

The interviewer asked how he felt about that and he said “to tell you the truth, when a Muslim comes on the bus, I look at him just as nerviously as everybody else”

Muslim Hedonist, you being a Muslim I must ask:

After this incident, do you become nervious for yourself or your family when you see a devout Muslim man, age 15 to 20, praying on a plane?

If I had kids and I was in that situation, I cannot honestly say I wouldn’t get off the plane.

Prayer is not mandatory when travelling.

JordanR,

Another thing is, I agree with the racially profiled Canadian Muslim bloke, I too would take extra precautions when encountering a Muslim in London.

I’m a Muslim who can pass as A-rab, but I don’t dress the part nor sport the facial whiskers.

I know you know this Gustavo, but lest a reader flip out on us….

Prayer is obligated during travel but is shortened and can be joined (noon and afternoon/dusk and evening). If you are doing a long flight, you end up having to pray someplace on the road. Airports have meditation rooms. These are actually great places to sleep, which is mainly how they are used….

Well, no, I don’t assume that a young man praying on a plane is about to hijack it, simply because he is praying. Unless he is doing something else as well which arouse my suspicions, I assume that he’s just an observant Muslim who prays five times a day. As I do.

But what rates as “suspicious behaviour” nowadays anyway? Recent news articles suggest that not only praying on a plane, but even speaking Arabic (!) can be considered as such. I wonder if ordering a halaal inflight meal might be yet another? (Another note to self: order kosher inflight meal next time.)