Praying in Public: The Honor of Being a Stranger in the West
By Yusuf from the Heartland
You Belong
You know, it’s easy to feel uncomfortable praying in public. It’s easy to feel like people are watching, like you don’t belong, like you’re out of place. But here’s the truth: you do belong.
You belong to something far greater than any town, any country, or any culture. You belong to the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. You belong to the people of La ilaha illa Allah. You belong to Allah. And wherever you stand to pray, that ground becomes sacred.
The Prophet ﷺ Stood Alone—So Can We
The Prophet ﷺ knew what it was like to stand alone. He knew what it was like to be the only one praying when everyone else looked at him with scorn. He prayed in the streets of Makkah, and they mocked him. He prayed by the Ka‘bah, and they threw filth on his back while he was in sujood. He prayed, and they attacked him.
And yet… he never stopped.
“Indeed, there was for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah often.”
He never let the fear of what people thought keep him from standing before his Lord. And that is the example he set for us.
And it wasn’t just him;
Bilal (RA) was tortured under the scorching sun for refusing to abandon Islam, but through the pain, all he said was, “Ahad, Ahad” – Allah is One.
Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (RA) was burned with hot coals for praying, yet he endured.
Ammar ibn Yasir (RA) and his parents were beaten and even killed because they refused to give up their faith.
These weren’t just stories. These were real men and women who stood firm because they knew that what they stood for was greater than their fear.
“Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ and they will not be tested?
And What About Us?
Now here we are, centuries later. And what do we face?
Not torture.
Not death.
Not persecution.
But maybe… an awkward stare.
Maybe… a raised eyebrow.
Maybe… someone whispering, “What’s he doing?”
And for that… are we really going to hesitate?
Are we really going to let a few seconds of awkwardness stand in the way of our obedience to Allah?
Is that worth missing the privilege of standing before our Creator?
No.
Because Allah sees us. He sees when we hesitate. He sees when we’re afraid. And He also sees when we push through the fear and say, “Ya Allah, I pray for You, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.”
Finding the Courage to Pray—Anywhere
So what do we do?
We find a spot.
A quiet corner in the park.
An empty aisle in the store.
A fitting room.
A bench.
A dressing room.
A quiet parking lot.
A car seat.
Even just a clean patch of ground.
And we pray.
Because this whole earth has been made a masjid for us.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The earth has been made for me a place of prostration and a means of purification.”
(Sahih Muslim 521)
And if someone watches? Let them.
If they ask, tell them.
Because you never know—maybe that one moment of courage is what inspires someone else. Maybe it’s what puts Islam in their heart for the first time. Maybe it’s what reminds them of Allah when they had forgotten.
The Prophet ﷺ Gave Glad Tidings to the Strangers
The Prophet ﷺ told us:
“Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange. So glad tidings to the strangers.”
(Sahih Muslim 145)
And that’s us.
We are the strangers.
We are the ones who pray when no one else does.
We are the ones who worship Allah even when it feels like we’re the only ones.
We are the ones the Prophet ﷺ gave glad tidings to.
So the next time the Adhan time comes, and you feel that hesitation, push through it.
The next time your phone reminder goes off, and you think, “Maybe I’ll wait till I get home,” remember—this is your moment.
“And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.”
This is the moment you get to prove to Allah that He is greater than your fears, greater than your discomfort, greater than anything this world throws at you.
You Are Never Alone
And when you stand for prayer, whether in your home, on the sidewalk, in a break room, or under the open sky, know this:
You are not alone.
You stand with the Ummah.
You stand with the Prophet ﷺ.
You stand with the strangers for whom Allah has promised glad tidings.
And when you bow your head in sujood, when your forehead touches the earth, you are exactly where you are meant to be.
In that moment, nothing else matters.
Not the glances.
Not the whispers.
Not the discomfort.
Because you are speaking to the One who created you, the One who sustains you, the One who sees you standing firm when it would have been easier to give in to fear.
“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.”
Allah Sees Your Courage
And Allah does not let that go unnoticed.
Every time you choose Him over your hesitation, every time you push past the doubt, He is watching.
“Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remained steadfast – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.’”
Walk Into Every Prayer with Confidence
So stand tall.
Walk into every prayer with the confidence of someone who knows that Allah is with them.
And remember:
You belong.
Even if you are the only Muslim in sight.
Even if you are surrounded by people who do not understand.
Even if you are a stranger.
Because that is not a burden.
That is an honor.
Sources:
Citations for Quranic Verses
Qur’an Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا
“Indeed, there was for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah often.”
Qur’an Surah Al-‘Ankabut 29:2
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
“Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ and they will not be tested?”
Qur’an Surah An-Nahl 16:128
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.”
Qur’an Surah Al-Baqarah 2:110
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ
“And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.”
Qur’an Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.”
Qur’an Surah Fussilat 41:30
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَبْشِرُوا۟ بِٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
“Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remained steadfast – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.’”
Citations for Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ Praying in Public Despite Persecution
”The Prophet ﷺ knew what it was like to stand alone… He prayed by the Ka‘bah, and they threw filth on his back while he was in sujood.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 240
Sahih al-Bukhari 3854
Sahih Muslim 1794
Musnad Ahmad 3801
Bilal (RA) Being Tortured for His Faith
“Bilal (RA) was tortured under the scorching sun for refusing to abandon Islam, but through the pain, all he said was, ‘Ahad, Ahad’ – Allah is One.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 150
Musnad Ahmad 23466
Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d 3/174
Ibn Ishaq’s Seerah (narrated by Ibn Hisham)
Musnad Ahmad 23023 (authenticated by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut)
Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (RA) Enduring Torture for Praying
“Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (RA) was burned with hot coals for praying, yet he endured.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6943
Sunan Abu Dawood 2649
Musnad Ahmad 21786
Sunan Ibn Majah 4028 (classified as Hasan by al-Albani)
Musnad Ahmad 20829
Ammar ibn Yasir (RA) and His Parents Facing Persecution
“Ammar ibn Yasir (RA) and his parents were beaten and even killed because they refused to give up their faith.”
Musnad Ahmad 21263
Mustadrak al-Hakim 5646 (Authenticated by Al-Dhahabi)
Ibn Sa‘d’s Tabaqat al-Kubra 3/175-177
Musnad Ahmad 26562 (authenticated by al-Albani in Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah 2953)
Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn 5676 (classified as Sahih by al-Hakim)
The Prophet ﷺ Declaring the Earth a Masjid
“Because this whole earth has been made a masjid for us.”
Sahih Muslim 521
Sahih al-Bukhari 335
Sunan Abu Dawood 489
Sunan al-Tirmidhi 317
The Prophet ﷺ Giving Glad Tidings to the Strangers
“Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange. So glad tidings to the strangers.”
Sahih Muslim 145
Sunan Ibn Majah 3986
Musnad Ahmad 645 (authenticated by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut)
Wonderfully written it moved me! It really did!