Thursday, March 14, 2013

Did you know Muslims created the flash mob?

I am sure you have seen 'flash mobs' on Youtube, or in commercials, or maybe you have been lucky enough to have one suddenly break out around you.  If you haven't, or don't know what a 'flash mob' is, here is the Wikipedia entry:
Flash Mob

You can see examples of them here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo

and here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds8ryWd5aFw&list=PLB9F4EA872CFF3908

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_2TBmI8Jws&list=PLB9F4EA872CFF3908

But really what is a flash mob? It is a group of people from varying walks of life coming together at a specific time and place to execute a specific, synchronized physical performance.  As others have said, a flash mob creates excitement, unity and gray area between the performers and the audience.  There is one such 'happening' that occurs 5 times a day, around the world, and has been happening for nearly 2000 years... Muslim prayer.

A musical recitation rings out (the call to prayer), seemingly random people drop what they are doing and converge on a pre-agreed location (the masjid), then, in perfect synchronization, they all execute a specific physical performance to a soundtrack (the imam), then at it's conclusion they all disperse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNX-aMopnJo

Fascinating.