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Lengthy prostration in Laamu causes alarm Holhuashi section Huvaas 24 January 2002 translation by Maldives Culture editors Moslems performing prostration during prayer An unusual incident occurred recently when a taxi driver accompanied a group of people from Malé to one of the islands in Laamu atoll . One night the taxi driver went to a mosque in the island for isha, the late night prayer, arriving just after the congregation. Only very few people remained in the mosque. He began performing his prayer, and went down in prostration. But he stayed there for over twenty minutes. Another person sitting nearby thought the man was staying in prostration for a very long time, and decided to check what was happening. He moved closer, bent over and looked closely at the face of the prostrated man. There was no movement on the other's lips. So he was sure the man had passed away. He called out to another person in the mosque and the two men gently took hold of the man by his upper arm and turned him over to the other side. Immediately the taxi driver jumped up and began to yell and shout. 'Because of you people I can't even perform an act of worship. What a pain in the neck you are!" he went on shouting. The other person was shocked but managed to say in his own defence, 'You didn't even move your lips for twenty minutes, and because of that we thought you were dead. That's why we turned you over.' 'It's not your problem whether I move my lips or not,' the taxi driver replied. top

Maldives Culture is an independent internet magazine of Maldivian cultural issues.
Editors and translators: Michael O'Shea and Fareesha Abdulla, Australia
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