Prayer at 35,000 Feet

After we level off at 35,000 feet, and establish our course eastbound from Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, the Muslim captain I'm flying with slides his seat back and says, "You have the controls, okay? I'm going to pray." A moment later he is standing with his arms crossed, hands on his wrists, facing aft toward the flight deck door. I hear him quietly reciting the Koran while he bends down with his hands on his knees, and then stands back up again. A minute later he is kneeling with his forehead on the floor, ...and then he is back up again. He does this full ritual twice while continuously reciting the Koran. The air is smooth. The sunset has left a faint glow on the horizon behind us. Mecca is less then 100 miles behind my right shoulder. I feel so lucky to be here.