A non jew’s prayers

chick567

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 6:53 am

Is it assur or considered avoda zara, to ask a non jew to pray for a sick child?
I don’t mean if they offer to pray after hearing what happened. I mean telling a non jew about a child that needs a miracle and asking them to pray.
I was about to ask someone but then thought that it’s probably avoda zara and assur for me to think their prayers have value.
Is it a question for a rav?

Java

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 6:59 am

chick567 wrote:

I think it would be complicated. If someone is praying to G-d in the conventional sense, (like Muslims and some Christians) it would be more likely to be okay. If they're praying to Jesu.s then obviously not.
Definitely a question for a rav.

Zahava94

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 8:08 am

Even if it were assur, why would you then jump to the conclusion that their prayers don't have value?

singleagain

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 8:27 am

So... My friend is a Baptist, and she has prayed for me, bc we believe in the same God. I just asked that she not end her prayers with jc. Basically I ask her to go right to the god we both believe in... And if she forgets I forgive her bc I know she's respectful of my belief like she is of mine.

And the other week I had a mini panic attack in public and this very kind Christan woman offered to pray for me and I just had no headspace to say anything against the help. And I appreciated that someone was caring about what I was going through.

Elfrida

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 8:28 am

The Beit HaMikdash was called a בית תפילה לכל העמים. Non jews can pray to הקב'ה, and their prayers, as I understand, are welcomed and valued.

The question today would be whether they acknowledge Hashem as the only G-d, the Supreme Creator and Ruler, with no physical form. If they don't, I'm not sure it would be allowed. Asking them to pray to their own gods would probably be an issue. Speak to your Rav.

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 12:00 pm

I have a Muslim colleague who offered to pray for my ill relative. Didn’t even occur to me that it may be a problem!

PinkFridge

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 12:34 pm

If a non Jew told me they were praying I'd let them know I'm touched. I wouldn't solicit their prayers, though.

Not_in_my_town

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 1:19 pm

Muslims worship Hashem, they just relate to Him in an unhealthy way with perverted beliefs.

Unitarian Christians could argueably pray to the same G-d as us, but with perverted beliefs, as well.

Baptists, like all Trinitarian Christians, do pray to J*sus. They are not praying to the same god we are, though they claim to do so.

That said, the offering to pray for someone is sweet and wonderful, showing that people believe in something Higher, even if they don't have the details out correctly. Like Pink Fridge said, I would also let people know I'm touched by their compassion, but I wouldn't ask them to pray to their god.

Fox

Thu, Jul 07 2022, 1:34 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

If a non Jew told me they were praying I'd let them know I'm touched. I wouldn't solicit their prayers, though.

This is my understanding, too.