... to be annoyed at the Muslim who prays next to me in work?

[Beethoven]

I share a small office with two other people. A new guy has started who's a muslim, and will roll out his mat and start praying behind me. I know it doesn't hurt me, but I feel a little uncomfortable for the few minutes that he does it.

Am I being an unreasonable bigot?

Yes you are. ssss

Sorry I didn't mean to hiss at your there, toddler on lap!

OMG YAB INCREDIBLY U.
He is just observing his religion! You are making it sound like he is stripping off or something. Live and let live I say - I personally am a devout atheist so am baffled by any religious observance, but recognise that everyone has the right to practice their religion as they see fit.

Yes you are

Praying doesn't hurt anyone and I would be more offended at someone coming in and sitting next to me after being on a fag break and reeking of fags or having a lunch time drink and smelling like a wino

Good on him for not being shy about his prayers

Wish him Ramadan Mubarak and get over yourself!

I don't think so - I'd feel uncomfortable with ANYONE praying publicly because I firmly believe if you have a faith it should be kept for church and be private. Fairly sure there is also something in the bible (ok I know you are referring to a muslim but it's the same god) about not outwardly displaying your piety either. I don't think you are a bigot, you just feel uncomfortable.

LOL at hiss.

YABU, to be annoyed. YA also BU for writing 'the Muslim who prays next to me in work,' instead of 'the person who prays next to me in work.' Being a Muslim has little to do with the fact you feel uncomfortable in the presence of someone who is praying on a mat next to you at work.

YANBU to feel uncomfortable, but that's your issue to deal with, not the new guy's.

Maybe if you are finding it difficult, you could pop out for those few minutes - go to the loo, have a fag, get a drink, check MN, whatever?

lol at hissing.

I wouldn't care less. You have to be tolerant of work colleagues. It's not as if he is standing on his desk singing Mustang Sally is it?

You have just started this bloody thread to watch it kick off, OP.

Listening to the chap praying is no different to people decorating their PCs with tinsel at Christmas.

HOW does it make you feel uncomfortable exactly?

I am a sworn atheist, but would stand up for the right for people to pray/wear crucifix/headscarves etc outside their own home, because I recognise that this is very important to some people.

YANBU - He should find somewhere private to pray.

Well, I certainly thought it might be a possibility that I was being unreasonable. I'll be interested in hearing what other's think.

Others (typo)

Meh, as long as he doesn't want me to do it I would just put it down to a slightly annoying habit that a co-worker has.

A whole bunch of not my problem.

I'm sure this is made up. But even if it were true, so what?

I bet someone's going to post the one where the Muslim lady on the bus takes offence at someone reading Three Little Pigs.

I'm sure if there was somewhere quiet he could got then he would. I have a Muslim college, who goes off to a quiet area at work.

You will also need to be aware that Ramadan starts today as well.

GOML - it's very different to putting tinsel on your PC at Christmas, the comparion to that would be if he put something on his desk which indicated a particular occasion. Rolling out a mat and praying is more akin to the OP taking up yoga in the office... no one would expect that to be acceptable would they?

yabu ..and I'm loving the hissing, might adopt it for future threads

Bela, this is definitely not made up.

Actually many offices have a prayer room/ reflection room, so that people can observe their faith in privacy whilst not distracting others. I would expect him to use something like that.

I have no problems with people praying but I wouldnt want it behind me in my office, I am here to work as is everyone else. If they need time to pray it should be away from the desk. But i feel the same way about personal phone calls...

As for tinsel- that isn't actually religious...and doesn't make noise

YANBU to feel uncomfortable, because that's your immediate response. You would BU to ask him to stop, because he isn't actually doing anything wrong.

YANBU about feeling uncomfortable in the face of the unknown. So how about getting to know the guy a bit better, learning a bit about what makes him tick and how he feels about life. Maybe he feels just as uncomfortable as you? Takes a certain courage to pray publicly in this country.

If you persist in regarding this as strange then YABU. Get comfortable with it.

I'm Muslim, I often pray at work and its a pisser finding a quiet room to do it in

I wish I had the bloody guts to roll out the mat and do it in the office, would save me the hassle of looking for an empty room!

I think YABU - less time away from the desk that way, and you could conceivably have people praying around you without knowing it (only saying that as I'm not sure which part is making you uncomfortable).

Why should she 'get comfortable with it'.

He should pray in private - it is an office not a Mosque.

Mowiol same God yes but everything else changes!

I don;t think any Muslim is going to look to the Bible for his religious guidance above a basic faith observation.

YANBU to feel a little uncomfy, many people do about many things. I have a strange aversion to gold shoes. But YABU if you ever even think about doing anything about it, or wish to deny him his right to pray.

Snowmash, I'm not sure what it is that makes me feel uncomfortable. I suppose it just feels for a few minutes that I can't move from my desk, make a call, etc. It's not the thought that someone has different religious views from mine (as you rightly say, people might be praying all the time)