Questioning Attitudes towards non-Christian and Muslim Visit

[Ethnophoenix]

I am a university prof who is about to take my third group on parts of the camino frances as part of a travel course with my institution. One of my students is Muslim and she wears a hijab or a scarf and I am wondering if anyone can comment on experiences they may have had on the pilgrimage to Santiago while announcing by their outward appearance that they part of another faith? I am concerned about smaller communities as well as Burgos, Leon, and Santiago.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

No worries. There are plenty of non-Christians on the camino. I have met lots of hijab-wearing Muslims as well as kippah- and yarmulke-wearing Jews and uniformed monastics of various types... even a Buddhist in saffron robes. A large portion of Spain´s population is Muslim, the country was ruled for about 700 years by Muslims!

The only ethnic discrimination I have seen expressed here was aimed at West African (black) immigrants and native gypsies -- and that was never done to their faces.

Rebekah

 

[David]

Agree - no problem. Many elderly Spanish women still cover their heads. Both Jewish and Christian women used to cover their heads when outdoors.

If you were to look at Islam and Christianity and Judaism from the outside it would be seen to be three branches or schools of the same religion. Judaism has the original story of God and His interaction with the manifested universe. Christianity uses the Jewish books, stories and prophets but sees in Jesus a new covenant. Islam uses the same story, the same prophets, including Jesus (Isa) and sees in the Qur'an and Mohammed (pbuh) a finalising of that long story.

In all three it is the same God, the same prophets, the same message - with certain different interpretations of course. The only real difference between Islam and Judaism versus Christianity is that In Judaism and Islam God does not cross the divide between the seen and the unseen and become a man. To them Jesus was human (as with Christian Unitarians).

Jesus spoke Aramaic, in Aramaic the word for God is Allah - ... all is well.

That said, sadly there are always nutters, everywhere.

 

[SisterPearl]

I am Muslim, and I walked the Camino this summer. I usually wear hijab in my daily life, but found my normal fashion was not practical for the physical rigor of the Camino. I still covered my head with kerchiefs and moisture-wicking Buffs, and always made sure I had a lightwieght rectangular scarf to wear when in any church -- hey, a house of God is a house of God, right? (Plus, that lightweight scarf doubled as a pillowcase most nights!) Truth -- if you're walking in the summer, you're going to want to cover your head, anyway, to protect yourself from the blazing sun!

Outwardly, I suppose, it wasn't immediately obvious that I was Muslim. But, of course, the topic of faith does come up on the Camino. And the Spanish people, for some reason, are always really curious to know what a person's religion is. At first, I was nervous, but I was always honest about my faith. And I never had a bad experience. A lot of people were curious, and many wanted to know why I was making the pilgrimage. "Don't you have one of your own, to Mecca?" was a really common question. More often then not, I found people to be curious but respectful, and I had many a deep conversation about faith and spirituality along the Way.

Also, I must add, I found many people along the Way to be incredibly good "Muslims" -- meaning, quite literally, people who are open to and accepting of the will of God. And in practice, I found most pilgrims, regardless of religion (even those without a particular religion, too!) to be doing what every Muslim (and Christian, etc.) is asked to do -- welcome the stranger, give to the needy, share what you have, and so on. I like to think it made me a better Muslim.

Look, there are people of every creed, and even a lot of people with no particular religion or faith along the Way. Of course you may meet a few people with unpleasant reactions, but overall, pilgrims are kind and welcoming folk. Buen Camino!

 

[Anniesantiago]

A sweet post.
Thank you

 

[oursonpolaire]

I know two Canadian Muslims, both women and university students, who have walked the Camino. Neither are head-scarf-wearers (one of them is quite virulently against) and both appreciated the experience. One of them, who as fairly dark brown skin, told me that she got more glances than her buddy, but she said that the Spanish were more polite to her than were people in other European countries. The other attended pilgrims' Masses at several churches along the way and peppered me with related questions on her return, as her only other image of Christian worship was of US and Canadian tele-evangelists.

 

[David]

Lovely post, Sisterpearl ... and it is so true, strip away the surface details and that surrender, whether of the ego or to God is the same thing, submission to other - which leads to openness, kindness, generosity, morality - the average pilgrim really ... which is what Islam is about isn't it? How else could it be.
I would have loved to have been in the room when you were being asked why you weren't on 'your' pilgrimage :lol:

(Though, have absolutely no idea at all what 'moisture-wicking buffs' could possibly be ....... :| )

 

[Deleted member 3000]

people who are open to and accepting of the will of God. And in practice, I found most pilgrims, regardless of religion (even those without a particular religion, too!) to be doing what every Muslim (and Christian, etc.) is asked to do -- welcome the stranger, give to the needy, share what you have, and so on.

And many do not need organized religion, texts, or dogma to do it!