The House of the Mosque Read Free

time. While he was away, his son Shahbal took over his duties and climbed into the minaret to call the faithful to prayer.
    After the evening prayer Imam Alsaberi was escorted back to the house by a group of men. Aqa Jaan always stayed a bit longer to talk to people. He was usually the last to leave the mosque.
    Tonight he had a quick word with the caretaker about some repairs that needed to be made to the dome. As he was heading home, he heard his nephew Shahbal call his name.
    ‘Aqa Jaan! May I have a word with you?’
    ‘Of course, my boy!’
    ‘Do you have time to walk down to the river with me?’
    ‘To the river? But they’re expecting us at home. It’s almost dinnertime.’
    ‘I know, but it’s important.’
    So they walked down to the gently flowing Sefidgani, which was not far from the house.
    ‘Actually, I don’t know how to say this. You don’t have to give me an immediate answer.’
    ‘Spit it out, my boy!’
    ‘It’s about the moon.’
    ‘The moon?’
    ‘No, not about the moon, but about television. And about the imam.’
    ‘Television? The moon? The imam? What are you trying to say?’
    ‘We . . . er, I mean, the imam needs to know what’s going on. He has to keep up with current events. Alsaberi only reads the books in his library, and they’re old, written centuries ago. He doesn’t read newspapers. He knows nothing about . . . well, about the moon, for example.’
    ‘Make yourself clear, for goodness’ sake! What is it that Alsaberi needs to know about the moon?’
    ‘Everybody’s talking about the moon these days. At school, in the bazaar, in the street. But we don’t discuss things like that at our house. Do you know what’s going to happen tonight?’
    ‘No, what?’
    ‘Two men are going to land on the moon tonight, and you don’t even know it! Maybe it’s not important to you or Alsaberi. But the Americans are going to plant their flag on the moon, and the city’s imam isn’t even aware of it. He didn’t make a single reference to it in his sermon. He should have mentioned it tonight, but he doesn’t even know it’s happening. And that’s not good for our mosque. The mosque is where people should hear about things that affect their lives.’
    Aqa Jaan waited.
    ‘I tried to bring it up with Alsaberi,’ Shahbal went on, ‘but he didn’t want to hear it. He doesn’t believe in such things.’
    ‘What do you want us to do?’
    ‘The moon landing is being broadcast on television tonight. I’d like you and the imam to witness this historic event.’
    ‘How?’
    ‘On television!’
    ‘You expect us to watch television?’ Aqa Jaan was astounded. ‘You expect the city’s imam to watch television? Do you understand what you’re asking, my boy? Ever since television came to this town, the mosque has been warning people of its evils, urging them not to listen to the corrupt shah, not to watch the Americans. And now you’re suggesting that we sit and stare at the American flag! You know that we’re opposed to the shah and to the Americans who put him on his throne. We don’t need to bring the shah’s face and the American flag into our home. Why on earth do you want us to watch television? It’s a weapon used by the Americans to undermine our culture and religion! All kinds of strange things are being said about television. It’s full of disgusting shows that poison people’s minds.’
    ‘That’s not true! Or at any rate not entirely. They also broadcast serious programmes, like tonight. You ought to watch! The imam ought to watch! If we’re opposed to the shah and to the Americans, that’s all the more reason to watch it. Tonight the Americans are going to set foot on the moon. You’re the most important man in the city, and you should see it. I can rig up an aerial on the roof.’
    ‘You want to put an aerial on our roof? You’ll make us the laughing stock of the town. Tomorrow everyone will be saying, “Did you see the aerial on the roof of the