Tandoori and the Quran

On our second day in New York we had take out from a new Indian restaurant on Madison Ave, Bawarchi. Lovely Chicken Tikka Masala (the national dish of England), lamb vindaloo (which I didn’t dare touch) and wonderful Muligtawany Soup. (Yes, that is how they spell it.) The restaurant advertised that it was “Halal”, the Islamic equivalent of Kosher. Many “Indian” restaurants are, often serving neither beef nor pork so as to be able to serve both Hindus and Muslims. 

This restaurant was, however, more overtly Muslim. On a monitor that sometimes showed their website at other times presented a series of sayings from the Quran. It was not intrusive but it was present – and something to read while waiting for our dinner!

Several things occurred to me. 

Here is a man trying to make a go of it with a small business. His faith matters to him. Sharing his faith does not dominate his business. Rather it takes a natural place within it. 

Secondly, many of us Christians would feel awkward doing something similar. It might seem that we were imposing our views or judging others. Yet this restaurateur was simply sharing something that mattered to him, for us his customers to take or leave as we chose. 

We Christians also might have concerns about being criticized or attacked or lose customers or friends. I think there is a real risk of that if we express our faith. Yet a Muslim on the Upper East Side is surely running at least as much risk?

It left me respecting this man’s convictions and wondering, How might we more fully share our own?