The Mosque

1. Select, describe and explain the important features of a Mosque

        Possibly one of the most important aspects of the Islam religion is the Mosque, which means “place of prayer”. This is seen as the centre of the Islamic community and is where Muslims join together to worship Allah, pray, and learn about the religion. Also, weddings, festival celebrations, and meetings of the Muslim community are held there.

        On the outside, many Mosques are plain and not elaborate at all although, it is not wrong for them to be grand. They are usually rectangular in shape and two features of them would be the dome and minarets.

        The dome is situated on the top of the roof and symbolises the universe. A minaret is a tall tower and every Mosque must have at least one. From here the adhan, call to prayer, is called by the mu’adhin. Most modern minarets have loudspeakers to drown out the noise of traffic, etc. The adhan is translated as:

Allah is most great, Allah is most great. Allah is most great, Allah is most great.

I testify that there is no god except Allah. I testify that there is no god except Allah.

I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Come to prayer! Come to prayer!

Come to success (in the life and the Hereafter)! Come to success!

Allah is most great. Allah is most great.

There is no god except Allah.

(Morning prayer) Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep.”

The times that adhan is made is set by the sun. The first is made at dawn, the second after the sun has passed the peak, the third mid afternoon, the fourth after sunset, and the fifth when night begins.

        Inside the Mosque, as a mark of cleanliness and respect, shoes must be removed. Before praying, Muslims must wash in a special way called Wudu, which they were commanded to do by Muhammad. This makes them clean for prayer as they are about worship and be in close presence with Allah. The set way to wash can be found in the Qur’an. The right hand is washed, then the wrist, then the left hand, wrist. Then they gargle so their voice is clean to talk to Allah. Then the nose and face are washed. Then the right arm up to the elbow, then the left. With a wet hand, the head is wiped and then the ears are cleaned. The feet are finally washed up to the ankles, right the left. When there is no water, clean sand or earth can be used instead if you are in a desert where water is scarce.

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        Men must wear skull caps inside the building and must all take in their prayer mats. No food or drink may be consumed in the Mosque too.    

        There is no furniture in the Mosque because there needs to be room to perform the prayer ritual which involves kneeling. If there is no clean floor, the prayer ritual is performed on a prayer mat. To know in which direction to pray, Muslims face the mihrab, which is a recess in the Qibla (direction) wall so that they may face Mecca. The mihrab reflects the voice of the Imam.   ...

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