The Unanswered Prayers : An Ethnographic Study on the Perspectives of Muslims, Christians and Sikhs in Twin Cities, Pakistan

Abstract

Believing in one God and praying to that divine entity is elementary for monotheist religions. But even within these religion there exists the concept, when prayers go unanswered. When people think that God have not replied them or accepted what they have asked for. This research “The Unanswered Prayers” is an impression of how people connect to the divine power either through words or without words. The narratives of research also include the answers received from God. The responses from God, narrated by respondents mainly include dreams, reverbs, instincts and overall happenings that ultimately satisfies impulses of praying individuals. This is a qualitative study and exploratory in nature. Data has been collected through ethnography, where first hand data has been collected by visiting Holy places; Mosques, Church and Gurdwara. In total, 18 respondents were interviewed within Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Out of which, 7 were Muslims, 5 Sikhs and 6 were Christians. The research highlights perception of individuals from different religions upon the significance of language and words in prayers. Moreover, how the unanswered prayers has impacted their attitudes towards God and even to themselves. The elaborations also incorporates the ways the ways to connect to God through rituals and symbols. The theoretical framework of research includes interpretative theory, rituals theory, Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and Binary opposition theory. This framework enables the reader to develop an understanding of meanings of symbols (used in every religion), importance of use of language and rituals in prayers and the binaries of answered and unanswered prayers. Major findings of the research revolves around the signs and its interpretations that assists individuals to sense and perceive the status of prayers.