اذانِ عُرفی – شعری از مجید نفیسی

In Solidarity with Iranians on the Street

A Secular Azan*

by

Majid Naficy

God is not forced

God is not forced

One is not forced to say: “In the name of God”.

I am tired of morning prayers at schools

I am tired of noon prayers at public offices

I am tired of sermons before Fridays’ prayers

I am tired of  chastity squads on the street

I am tired of blows, lashes and stonings

I am tired of statization of mosques

I am tired of mosque-ization of the state.

Happy the separation of mosque and state!

Happy freedom of religion and lack of it!

Happy laicism, secularism.

God is not forced

Godlessness is not forced

One is not forced in religion or lack of it.

Thus spoke a muezzin of laicism:

A secular poet.

        August 17, 2012

*- In Islam, the call to prayer.