A video captured inside at the 7-eleven on Gratiot and 13 Mile Road in Roseville is now spreading all over the social media and sparking debate from different platforms after a man was recorded washing his feet in a sink that is meant for washing hands.
To make it more hilarious, it was seen in the video that the said sink was also next to a coffee machine and just across a grill station.
According to Emily Divel the woman who recorded the video, her shopping experience was interrupted when she noticed that one of the employees was taking a break from serving behind the counter to perform a simple religious ritual. What even shocking was the clerk also removed his shoes and lifted his feet one by one to the drink counter.
“As I walked in I could hear him loudly spitting in the sink,” Divel said.
The said unidentified clerk is a Muslim employee who was performing ablution, which the mandatory bathing ritual is carried out before each of the five daily Islamic prayers. He was washing his feet, arms, and face in the sink designated for handwashing.
Watch it here: WXYZ TV/YOUTUBE
After viewing the footage, Action News headed to the convenience store, located on Gratiot and 13 Mile Road, and confronted the employee. The man, who remains unnamed, grinned as he was shown the recording of himself bathing in the sink. He then explained that such actions are mandatory in his religion.
The employee told Action news “It was for my prayer time, Wash your hands, face, and feet.”
Action News also asked him if it was appropriate to do in the public sink in full view of the customers, he answered that he only did it “when the public was not there.” Of course, once the reporter pointed out that the recording was taken when “the public was there,” the employee merely stated, “Actually, it was my prayer time.”
After the video spread online, a lot of customers shared their mixed reactions:
One customer said: “I understand the prayer but washing the feet! You can wash your hands and have prayer but not your feet.”
“We don’t discourage religion but be sanitary working with food,” Divel said.
After the issue, 7-Eleven released an official statement regarding the matter.
“We take the cleanliness of 7-Eleven stores very seriously so thank you for making us aware of this incident and allowing us to investigate this matter.”
7-Eleven also released a statement: “We take the cleanliness of 7-Eleven stores very seriously so thank you for making us aware of this incident and allowing us to investigate this matter.”
The State’s hygiene inspectors are also currently investigating the issue at hand.
Sources: Taphaps, WXYZ, Opposing Views, Yahoo News