how not to burst
Bargaining is ubiquitous in Arabic speaking Islamic cultures, reads one of my lit research articles.* Even the Prophet, as the article notes and so I have been told, bargained with God on how many times a day Muslims must pray. God began with 50 times (<---not 5000. Choukrane Youssef & Jehanzeb!). When the Prophet asked that he acknowledge human needs and imperfections, God settled on 5.
I experience bargaining in the market, and today I realize I experience it at the Moroccan table. Kulli, kulli! my matronly hostess demands after I put down my piece of bread, full. Eat! she says. I dont know how much more I can eat before I burst at the seams, but I dont know what will happen if I outright refuse. When I say that I am full, she says I must not like her food, which I promise is not the case. So we are faced with opposing interests. She wants me to eat more, and I dont want any at all. Damage can be done on either side. We must compromise. I break off a piece of bread and give it to another friend at the table, and I say I will eat if someone else eats with me. I know he is also full, so the spotlight eases off me. I eat a little bit more, and I hope that she believes that I do in fact enjoy her food. Finally the table is cleared with both of us satisfied and neither offended.
Moroccan people, especially one as gracious as my friends mother, dont let you out of their houses easily, or even a crumb short of full. I still did get in some time at the market today, and I even got one good sample, but as my recruit explained, business was quiet in his part of town. Right now I can hear the drums of the Djemma el Fna from this internet cafe. These will continue after the shops close, which is usually about ten o clock, and beat along with the rest of the spectacles, well into the night. Tomorrow, insha Allah, we go on soaking it in.
*Alon, Ilai, etc. Perceptions of Time and their Impact on Negotiations in Arabic Speaking Islamic Cultures... the rest of the citation TBA once I get my hands on it again.
God began with something like 50 times. not 5000.
ok
This from the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)
Volume: 1 Book: 8 (The Book of Prayer) Number: 345
As narrated by Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers. When I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?'
I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.'
Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.'
So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.'
So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it.'
So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.'
I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.'
Then Gabriel took me till we reached Sidrat Muntaha (lote tree of the utmost boundary) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable.
Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."