Speakers’ Corner

My abrupt awakening about faith in the Northwest corner of Hyde Park

Yesterday as I was bike riding through Hyde Park with a few friends we came across Speakers’ Corner.

Speakers’ Corner is an area in Hyde Park (closer towards the Marble Arch) that is historically known for its open speaking, debate and discussion by some of the most well-known philosophers, artists, and thinkers in history like George Orwell. Their arguments were for civil rights and liberties which would bring change to the whole of Britain.

The speaker I decided to listen to was a passionate African man who was standing on a podium with a little girl standing at his legs. Immediately my eyes were led to a little 10-year-old boy standing on the other side of the podium looking a bit angry.

I soon realized this man standing tall over the podium was arguing against Islam. He was saying, “How do you know an angel came to Prophet Muhammad, where are the facts?”

The little boy in front argued back, “Yes, there are!”

The tall man replied again “How do YOU know the Angel Gabriel came from above?”

This, to me, was an interesting topic to choose seeing as this week marks the last ten days of Ramadan in which we believe Layut-ul Kadur, or the night of revelation of the Quran, occurred. The little boy continued to argue with the man, while I stood there not saying a word. Yet I felt I had no need to argue with a man about religious choice in today’s day and age.

Then another man walked up to my friend and I to debate the topic of “facts”, again. He said to us, “How can we believe anything without facts?” I’m not sure what religion or belief he was arguing for but his question completely confused me. My friend and I both replied, “That’s faith, believing in what you might not know.”

The man argued, “If I told you it was night right now, would you believe me?”

My reply was, “If I had faith in you.”

And then I realized, I’ve always been the one to question the facts of religions and beliefs. And here I was, being asked the same question I’ve always asked, “How do we know?”

Faith comes from inside, any religion and any god. To each their own.

Thank you random sir in Speakers Corner for unintentionally and abruptly making me remember what faith is. Cheers to you.