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An array of Islamic faithful
Raouf Ben Halima, 39, sleeps on his side, never on his stomach.He enters the bathroom leading with his left foot, but puts his pants on leading with his right. He does not use a fork when he eats, he uses his index finger, middle finger and thumb. Halima is a member of the Tablighi Jamaat, or Preaching Party, a global army of Muslim missionaries helping to expand their religion and reinforce their faith. They believe that emulating the habits of the Prophet Muhammad is the surest way to restore Islam to its intended path. So Halima and his associates shave their upper lips but let their beards grow. They wear their pants or robes above the ankle because the prophet said letting clothes drag on the ground is a sign of arrogance. "Halfway between the knee and the ankle is best," Halima explained, sitting amid stacks of religious tracts in his small home. His comments during conversations about the growth of militant Islam offered a glimpse into the beliefs of a group that is unsettling to many in France. The Tablighi are one of the primary forces spreading Islamic fundamentalism in Europe, and many young men pass through the group on their way to an extreme, militant interpretation of the religion. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-04-28 |
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