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Islam
Visit to a Mosque
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The mosque is the place of worship for
Muslims. Here the faithful meet on Fridays, the
Muslim holy day . Usually the mosque is walled off from
the rest of the city and you go through the main gates as
in this photo. |
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A tower called the
minaret
is
used by the muezzin to call the faithful to prayer
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Inside there is a
central courtyard
with a washing fountain. Before entering the hall
of prayer you have to take off your shoes, wash your feet,
face ,hands and arms. Often there are baths if you want a
complete wash. |
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The Muslim then enters the hall of
prayer and turns to face Mecca, in the south - east
(if you are in Paris). There is an alcove called the
mirhab in the side of the wall facing Mecca. In a kind
of elevated stand called the minbar, the
imam
or prayer leader
leads the faithful in prayer. There is
no clergy in a mosque and any wise, scholarly man can have
the role of iman. Similarly there is no formal instruction
or admission ceremony to become a Muslim. You simply
recite the Shahada (see your work on the Five Pillars) in
front of another Muslim, believing in the recitation, and
you become a Muslim yourself. |
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Women are separated from men by a
special screen as in this photo so that nobody is
distracted in their prayers. |
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There are no pictures of Allah,
Mohammed or any humans in a mosque. However, there are
beautiful symmetrical designs in ceramic tiles
and written extracts from the Koran decorated as
arabesques. |
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The
Open Door Web Site