As I said, it is outside the scope of this forum, as it is a complex issue of Jewish Law. I would prefer to refrain from discussing the issue here as it will inevitably result in a flame war, which is not what we are here for. Sorry.

Once, traveling on British Airways, a young Jewish man wearing tefillin was praying in the middle of a crowded departure gate. I cannot know what was in his heart but there did seem to be an aspect of showmanship about it - a "look how religious I am" aspect - rather than the true introspection which should accompany prayer. That said, I did wonder whether he knew something about the flight that I didn't! :D

Some religiously observant people may be stupid. Religion does not automatically exempt anyone from being stupid. However, that does not mean that all religious people are stupid either.

Sorry if you took my story to apply to anyone other than the specific individual in question. I know many very observant followers of many religions, including both Judaism and Islam, who do not make public spectacles of their piety and observance. My story was very much intended to be an anecdote, not data.

Another anecdote demonstrates the opposite: One Muslim co-worker used to set up his prayer rug behind a (and this shows my age) a floor-to-ceiling computer and unless you happened to need to get to the back of the computer at particular times, you would have never known that he did pray 5times a day.

Fortunately, most Christians seem to do their individual prayers silently.

Quiet vocalized prayers are no more annoying than a regular conversation, which is to say, not very.

I've never hit loud vocalized prayers in a lounge/airport, but I'd imagine they're very annoying. I've certainly hit guys who think their business is very important bellowing into a cell phone and I'd imagine the annoyance level would be roughly equal.

"My empathy ends, regardless of if this is in a lounge or not, when feet are washed in drinking fountains. Also, when sinks are used and the bathroom floor is left with obvious puddles and zero attempt us made to wipe them up.

Would all the other respondents declaring non-issue have the same response if instead of someone praying it was someone using the same space to post up, lie down, and take a nap on the floor?"


I am a Muslim who prays five times a day and on some occasions have done so in a quiet unobtrusive area of a BA lounge, at the invitation of BA staff. However, I would also not accept puddles of water left around. If I saw another Muslim leaving the area in a less than decent state I would tell him (has to him only in a Men's facility!) to clear up.

If there is a dedicated prayer facility in the airport I would use that. Most airports do have them but not all.

On occasions I have seen people of the Jewish faith praying (mainly in the US) and this does not bother me at all. In some multifaith prayer rooms a Christian has sat down to pray while I am completing my Muslim prayer. Again not an issue for me.

Regarding whether a Christian would be allowed to read their Bible at RUH, I would hope so. But even if the answer is no then this is one Muslim country out of many. I would guess this would not be an issue in any of the other Muslim countries (though I could be wrong but I hope not). You should know that most Muslims don't like the policies of some or many Muslim countries and in most of these practicing Muslims are discriminated against even more than non-Muslims. But that is a debate for OMNI not here.

I live in the UK and am a citizen of this country and proud of the tolerance we have for each other, despite the attempts of many politicians. Tolerance does not mean you accept my faith or I accept your faith or philosophy. But I am proud of the fact that I grew up in a multicultural London where at school and work we made friends on the basis of personality match regardless of our colour, creed or status. In fact if you asked me to classify my friends on this basis I would have to think for a moment.

that's weird as a muslim myself, I have prayed in the prayer room in FCO in the lower level, where its dedicated for muslim prayer. Although I have faced difficulty locating it yet it is the right place to pray in.

I have no problems with people praying in the lounge. I'm sure that there are always a few people who develop religious beliefs just before a flight if they are afraid of flying. ;)

What bothers me is people who do it in a manner that is obtrusive. And it's not the obtrusiveness that bothers me. It's the fact that they hold their religion so dear that it overrides everything else in their life. I don't care what they religion is. But when people's belief in God reaches the point that it overrides everything else in their life then they are fully capable of believing that God told them to do something and if God told them to do it, it wouldn't matter if anyone else got hurt. Or worse. And those folks scare me.

2 examples come to mind.

I was in Indonesia (not at an airport, but rather in my office). During Ramadan we non-Muslims were asked to eat in our offices with our doors closed out of respect. No problem with that. But the guy in the next office would "chant" or "sing" (not sure the correct term) for a solid hour during lunch every single day. Made me nervous.

The other time was in the gate area at CDG1 in the old TWA area. A group of Jewish people (not sure the particular sect) was praying together. This involved chanting or praying specific verses while they stood and rocked back and forth. Again, the fact that I was about to get on a plane with people who are that attached to their religion made me nervous.

I'm not anti-any religion. But I am anti-zealots. Of any stripe.