Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Inshallah!

I was walking on the Rozengracht on Oudjaarsavond (New Years Eve). In front of an Arab grocer were two perhaps 18 year old Moroccan lads were standing. They were typical motorcycle couriers. When they saw me the stepped towards me, shoulder to shoulder. I was walking hurriedly. One boy asked: "Sir, can I ask you something?". I replied: "Sure". "Inshallah" on of them shouted. "That is very good lad" I said. The other said: "It is good, it is good, but do you know what it means?". I stopped and wagging my finger shouted: "It is the will of God!". They laughed and shouted: "Sir, SIR Thou art a man, a real man!".

What does THAT tell you, hey?

6 comments:

Esther said...

I don't get it.. what did they want to ask?

Snouck said...

If I knew what "Inshallah" means. They probably would have called me "queer" or "idiot" if I had not known.

MZ said...

Probably, but what does that say? Nothing much I guess...

MZ said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
MZ said...

@Nouille:
I read the article, very interesting and uncomforting material.

Ates says, "Turkish men who wish to marry and live by Shariah can do so with far less impediment in Berlin than in Istanbul."

It seems so paradoxical: These restrictive cultures have so much freedom here to fight freedom.

Esther said...

nouille, can you repost the link? it's cut off by me.