Mohammed Abdul Alim rose early in time for the first call to prayer. He looked at the German still sleeping. He wanted to kill him now, but that would attract unwanted attention from the occupying forces. Killing a German minister wouldn’t go unnoticed. Besides, he needed Kleiner to bring him Kohlenz who would lead him to the scroll.
He took his mat outside the cave and consulted his compass in order to position it correctly in the direction of Mecca. He removed his Raybans and Rolex watch, symbols of the Western materialism he despised, but something he’d never let go, however hypocritical it sounded. To remove them was to cleanse his soul in the face of Allah, praise be upon him. These small tokens of a decadent society showed how America …show more content…
‘It is beautiful, but I don’t understand it any more than you. I’m an American.’ Abdul sat back down and stared at David. ‘Forgive me for asking, but what are you studying?’
‘I’m fascinated by the idea that all three major religions emanate from the same source.’
Some people on the other tables looked towards them, clearly annoyed by their talking.
‘What do you mean?’ whispered Abdul, acknowledging the other readers with an apolgetic shrug.
‘Well. For a start Islam has Jewish heritage as does Christianity,’ said David, lowering his voice slightly. ‘The Holy Koran states that Jacob and Abraham were the first human beings to submit to Allah’s law. Abraham founded Judaism.’
‘Interesting,’ said Abdul. ‘Of course I know of Ibrahim and Yacoub but I never thought of them as Jews.’
‘And Isa is, of course, Jesus who the Koran recognises as a holy prophet,’ said David looking animated.
‘Of course,’ said Abdul. ‘So why does that interest you?’
‘Let’s go and have a coffee and I’ll tell you.’
They found a diner a block away from the library and Abdul waited while David queued. After what seemed like an age David returned with two large cappuccinos in paper cups.
‘You know, this is what pisses me off about America,’ David said as he sat down and handed a coffee over to Abdul.
‘What?’ said Abdul …show more content…
They’re everywhere. It’s the disposable world. Materialism is all that matters.’
Abdul snorted with derision. ‘You’re a hypocrite,’ he laughed.
‘What’s so funny? David said, taken aback by Abdul’s tone.
‘Because you can’t criticise America and still be part of it. Look at the way you dress with your fancy suit. It looks to me that America has served you well.’
‘I’m an Englishman,’ David protested.
‘But I would guess by that suit that you work in Wall Street. What could be more of a contradiction?’
David look glum, nodding his head with approval of Abdul’s comments. ‘You’re right of course. That’s why I want out and to learn to live a simple life. I want to change and make a difference, not just helping the rich get richer.’
‘You’d like to convert to Islam?’
David hesitated ‘Maybe, I don’t know. But what I do know is that there a better way.’
They met many times in those two months leading up to September 11th. There was no doubt that David Helford had come to despise America and what it stood for. He wold never say why, but his ideas were It wasn’t just a case of relieving his boredom, far from it. It was antidote to what lay ahead. They continued to meet, every few days. David always listened intently as he espoused the virtues of his religion. He hated America, but David Helford was showing him another way. A way of reconciliation between religions. The more he got into it, the more he feared the wisdom of the attack that was about to unleash itself on
He took his mat outside the cave and consulted his compass in order to position it correctly in the direction of Mecca. He removed his Raybans and Rolex watch, symbols of the Western materialism he despised, but something he’d never let go, however hypocritical it sounded. To remove them was to cleanse his soul in the face of Allah, praise be upon him. These small tokens of a decadent society showed how America …show more content…
‘It is beautiful, but I don’t understand it any more than you. I’m an American.’ Abdul sat back down and stared at David. ‘Forgive me for asking, but what are you studying?’
‘I’m fascinated by the idea that all three major religions emanate from the same source.’
Some people on the other tables looked towards them, clearly annoyed by their talking.
‘What do you mean?’ whispered Abdul, acknowledging the other readers with an apolgetic shrug.
‘Well. For a start Islam has Jewish heritage as does Christianity,’ said David, lowering his voice slightly. ‘The Holy Koran states that Jacob and Abraham were the first human beings to submit to Allah’s law. Abraham founded Judaism.’
‘Interesting,’ said Abdul. ‘Of course I know of Ibrahim and Yacoub but I never thought of them as Jews.’
‘And Isa is, of course, Jesus who the Koran recognises as a holy prophet,’ said David looking animated.
‘Of course,’ said Abdul. ‘So why does that interest you?’
‘Let’s go and have a coffee and I’ll tell you.’
They found a diner a block away from the library and Abdul waited while David queued. After what seemed like an age David returned with two large cappuccinos in paper cups.
‘You know, this is what pisses me off about America,’ David said as he sat down and handed a coffee over to Abdul.
‘What?’ said Abdul …show more content…
They’re everywhere. It’s the disposable world. Materialism is all that matters.’
Abdul snorted with derision. ‘You’re a hypocrite,’ he laughed.
‘What’s so funny? David said, taken aback by Abdul’s tone.
‘Because you can’t criticise America and still be part of it. Look at the way you dress with your fancy suit. It looks to me that America has served you well.’
‘I’m an Englishman,’ David protested.
‘But I would guess by that suit that you work in Wall Street. What could be more of a contradiction?’
David look glum, nodding his head with approval of Abdul’s comments. ‘You’re right of course. That’s why I want out and to learn to live a simple life. I want to change and make a difference, not just helping the rich get richer.’
‘You’d like to convert to Islam?’
David hesitated ‘Maybe, I don’t know. But what I do know is that there a better way.’
They met many times in those two months leading up to September 11th. There was no doubt that David Helford had come to despise America and what it stood for. He wold never say why, but his ideas were It wasn’t just a case of relieving his boredom, far from it. It was antidote to what lay ahead. They continued to meet, every few days. David always listened intently as he espoused the virtues of his religion. He hated America, but David Helford was showing him another way. A way of reconciliation between religions. The more he got into it, the more he feared the wisdom of the attack that was about to unleash itself on