It was a chilly night, but a great night in Mile End Park. We gathered between Burdett Road and Canal Road, north of the the path crossing the park and the canal, a little south of the grassy bridge over Mile End Road. Behind that eatery formerly known as Halalianos.
Londonistan was pre-occupied: with being familial, fundraising for a visionary new mosque for Cambridge, flood victims, Iftaring in other Parks, Tarawihing in the Built Environment and commemorating the death of Imam Ali (ra).
Yet a Jamat gathered for this 'Tarawih with the Trees'.
Allahumma accept our devotions and annihilate our pretentions.
The trees framed our space, a mihrab fit for Revelation. Horse chestnuts decorated the floor. It was as if we were wrapped in a semi-permeable membrane of His creativity, ruptured by the sounds and dancing lights from the roads and drunken Muslim youth of East London.
Our Imam's drew from The Cow, The Inevitable and the Last Chapter. And we gave thanks for His blessings, prayed for his forgiveness and called on His names on a night of possible Power, without amplification or fuss.
We think we were able to find some Taqwa amongst these Trees and hoped to meet again to continue our journey, most probably on Friday.
Tarawih with the Trees is one collective worship act in a series, around the theme of Fasting not Feasting.
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