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Mosque A mosque (masjid in Arabic) is a place for worship in Islam. Although prayers can be done privately, either indoors or outdoors, nearly every community of Muslims dedicates a space or building for congregational prayer.

Looking through photographs of mosques around the world, one sees a lot of variation. Building materials and design depend on the culture, heritage, and resources of each local Muslim community. Yet, there are some features that nearly all mosques have in common. The parts of a mosque are practical, and provide both continuity and a sense of tradition among Muslims worldwide.

Minaret  A minaret (Arabic: “beacon”) is an element of Islamic religious architecture. It is the tower

traditionally used by a muezzin, or crier to call the faithful to prayer five times each day. Minarets are always connected with a mosque. At the time of the Prophet Muhammad, the call to prayer was made from the highest roof in the vicinity of the mosque. The earliest minarets as such were former Greek watchtowers or the towers of Christian churches.

Today, calls to prayer are usually done in the prayer hall through a loudspeaker, and minarets serve mainly decorative purposes. The oldest minaret in the world is in Kairouan, Tunisia. Built between 724 and 727, it has a massive square form. The tallest minaret in the world is that of the new Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, which stands 210 meters tall. Minarets were built to be “landmarks of Islam” — to be visible from afar and to stamp an area with Islamic character.

Questions to answer: How is a minaret a footprint of Moslems?

Questions to answer: Here in America, is it correct to allow the call to prayer to be pronounced from the mosque daily?

Lesson:1. The following “cards” make 9 stations explaining

the religious beliefs of Muslims.

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Islamic BeliefsThe Qur'an includes a version of the biblical story of the fall of Adam (as in Adam and Eve).

Unlike the Christian beiliefs, there is no such thing a “original sin”. In the Quranic version of the story, Adam and Eve begged God's forgiveness and God punished them with a mortal life on earth but added, "from it [earth] you will be taken out at last" (7:25). Since Allah forgave the sins of the first pair, Muslims believe, all are born in Al-Fitra, a natural state of submission to Allah. True repentance from sin returns a person to this original sinless state.

The single most important belief in Islam, and arguably the central theme of Islam, is that there is one God. The Muslim name for God is Allah, which is simply Arabic for "the (al) God (Ilah)." The name “Allah” is related to the Hebrew (Jewish) word to Elohim, the Hebrew word for God.Muslims believe that God is the all-powerful Creator of a perfect, ordered universe.

Although the God of Islam has revealed his will through the prophets, his actual nature remains ultimately unknowable. Despite Allah's ultimate unknowability, Allah is present everywhere and with man all of the time.

The one thing that is made abundantly clear, however, is that Allah is One. He is unique and indivisible. The Qur'an repeatedly emphasizes strict monotheism, explicitly rejecting both polytheism and the Christian concept of the Trinity. {6}

Along with Judaism and Christianity, Islam belongs believes that Allah is a God of justice, who expects righteous behavior and submission to the divine will. The word Islam means "submission," and a Muslim is literally "one who submits" and punishes unrighteousness.

Questions to answer: If the religion is called Islam, why aren’t the followers called ‘Islams’?

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Similarities and Differences Within IslamThere are two main sects in Islam: Sunni and Shi'ite. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination,

although in some countries it is a minority. Sunnis have their historical roots in the majority group who followed Abu Bakr, an effective leader, as Muhammad's successor. The Sunnis are so named because they believe themselves to follow the sunnah or "custom" of the Prophet. Shi'ites are those Muslims who followed Ali, the closest relative of Muhammad, as Muhammad's successor. Shi’ite instead believe that only blood descendants of Muhammad call lead them.

  Sunnah Shia (or Shi'ah)

followers called Sunnis Shiites, Shi'i

current adherents 940 million 120 million

percentage of total Muslims 90% 10%

primary locations most Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Yemen

Questions to answer: What is a sect?Which sect of Islam believes their leader is selected more like the Pope

and which sect would say their leader is more like a dynasty leader?

Which sect of Muslim are you most likely to see?

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The Religious Significance of MeccaThe most sacred place in Islam is the Ka'ba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba is a mosque

(built by Abraham according to Muslim tradition). The Prophet Muhammad designated Mecca as the holy city of Islam. The Ka'ba is believed to be the first place that was created on earth and the place at which heavenly bliss and power touches the earth directly.  Mecca is located southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Each year, thousands of Muslims from around the world join in a pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj), in fulfillment of one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The importance of Mecca for Muslims is very hard to describe. All Muslims, wherever they are on Earth, pray five times a day in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

In addition, a pilgrimage to Mecca is required of every Muslim who can afford it as one of the Five Pillars of the faith. Every year about three million gather for the major pilgrimage, or Hajj, during the Muslim month of Dhu'l-Hijja, and many more perform the minor pilgrimage, or Umrah, at various times throughout the year.

The focal point of Mecca is the Kaaba, the "House of God" believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, and which is covered in a gold-embroidered black fabric. Pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times and may also try to touch or kiss its cornerstone, the

Black Stone. Pilgrims may drink from the well of Zamzam. Its water of

Zamzam is believed to have special properties. Few pilgrims return from

the Hajj without a large plastic bottle of Zamzam water.

Few non-Muslims have ever seen the rites and rituals of the Hajj, as non-

Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering Mecca and Medina. Roadblocks are stationed along roads leading to the city. The most

famous incident of a non-Muslim visiting Mecca was the visit by the British explorer Sir Richard Burton in 1853. Burton disguised himself as an Afghani Muslim to visit and write a story.

Questions to answer: What might be Mecca for Jews? How is it a similar concept and how is it different for Jews and Muslims?

The Qur'anThe Qur'an, whose name means "recitation" in Arabic, is the sacred text of Islam and the

highest authority in both religious and legal matters. In more English spellingit is also called the Koran. Muslims believe the Qur'an to be a flawless record of the Angel Gabriel's revelations to Muhammad from 610 until his death in 632 AD.

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The Qur'an's name is derived from the Gabriel's initial command to Muhammad to "Recite!" Recitation is a fundamental concept associated with the Qur'an. The first followers of the Prophet memorized his recitation in order to recite it to others, following an established Arabic method for preserving poetry.

The revelation was put in writing shortly after Muhammad's death to preserve the content from corruption, but it is still regarded as most authentic when recited aloud. Professional reciters of the Qur'an are held in very high esteem, and have often been influential in deciding matters of doctrine or policy.

The Qur'an is roughly the length of the Christian New Testament. It is divided into 114 surahs (chapters) of widely varying length. To properly read the Qur’an you would read it from the back to the front.

There are no pictures in the Qur’an. To have a picture of Allah or of an angel implies that we know what God or angels look like. No one has seen either. So, similar to Judaism, any picture would be an insult to God. Additionally, Moslems are concerned that if an image was made, people begin to focus on the images of Allah, not on Allah. Because there are no pictures, Moslems decorated their Qur’an with elaborate geometric designs. In fact, Moslems are credited with discovering and explaining the concepts that the world uses today in modern geometry – much like the geometry taught in schools.

Questions to answer: What other religious read material might share the same stories, like Abraham and Ishmael?

The Five Pillars of Islam – the Core BeliefsThe Five Pillars of Islam are five religious duties expected of every Muslim. The five pillars

are mentioned individually throughout the Qur'an.

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Within a few decades of Muhammad's death, the five practices were singled out to serve as anchoring points in the Muslim community and designated "pillars." Fulfillment of the Five Pillars is believed to bring rewards both in this life and in the afterlife.

The pillars are acknowledged and observed by all sects of Muslims, although Shi'ites add further obligatory duties, including: jihad, payment of the imam's tax, the encouragement of good deeds and the prevention of evil.

The Five Pillars of Islam are:1. Daily profession of faith2. Daily ritual prayer3. Paying alms 4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)

The First Pillar: A Profession of Faith The first of the Five Pillars of Islam profession of faith. A profession is a declaration, or a

statement of what one believes. Muslims believe and therefore state that they believe two simple, fundamental beliefs:

1. There is no god but God and 2. Muhammad is the prophet of God.

It represents acceptance not only of Allah and his prophet, but of the entirety of Islam. If a person does not believe these two things, they simply cannot be a Muslim.

Questions to answer: How ‘weird’ is this belief compared to faiths you are familiar with? Do the faiths you are familiar with have anything similar to the Moslem’s Profession of faith??

The Second Pillar: DAILY PRAYERPerhaps the most well-known Muslim practice among non-Muslims is ritual prayer. It is

performed five times each day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and evening. Exact prayer times for your area can be calculated depending upon where you are.

Prayer is always directed in the direction of Mecca. A prayer mat is commonly used during prayer and is considered to be sacred. Prayer may be performed individually, but it carries special merit when done with other Muslims. Fridays the midday prayer at the mosque is the focal prayer of the whole week.

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Before they begin with prayer, Muslims must wash the face, hands, and feet. This can be done with sand when water is not available. At the five appointed times, a person announces a call to prayer, traditionally from a mosque's minaret. The call to prayer:

God is most greatI bear witness there is no god but GodI bear witness Muhammad is the prophet of GodCome to prayerCome to wellbeingPrayer is better than sleepGod is most greatThere is no God but God

In modern times, the person calling people to prayer is usually heard on the radio. Islamic prayer begins in a standing position and moves through several simple postures until they end in a kneeling position. Specified statements are said in each posture. The content of prayer is glorification of God, staying parts of the Qur'an, and blessings on the Prophet. Prayer ends with the greeting, "Peace be upon you," even when praying alone.

Questions to answer: How different is this praying compared to faiths you are familiar with? Do the faiths you are familiar with have anything similar to this Pillar?

The Third Pillar: AlmsAlmsgiving is a central activity in Islam. Almsgiving means giving money to help the less

fortunate. The Qur'an explicitly requires it and often places it alongside prayer when discussing a

Muslim's duties. For those who are greedy and use their money outside of the will of Allah, the Qur'an

has harsh words: “The fires of hell will heat up the coins and the greedy will be branded with it”.

The alms giving  is required of every adult Muslim with sufficient means. In many ways it

resembles the modern welfare state, in which the "haves" are help to provide for the "have-nots."

The rate of almsgiving  is 2.5 percent, not of income, but of the value of all of one's possessions.

Today how much to give is mostly left up to the individual, except in Saudi Arabia. In countries

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where religious law (Shari'a) is strictly enforced Muslims are required to almsgiving, collected like a

tax.

The Fourth Pillar: Fasting During RamadanFasting reminds Muslims of the revelation of the Qur'an to humanity during Ramadan, the ninth

month of the Islamic year. During Ramadan, all adult Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink

and sexual intercourse during daylight hours. Exceptions are made for travelers, soldiers,

menstruating women, and the ill.

For a fasting Muslim, the constant hunger and thirst reminds them of what it important in their

life – their desire to do well and someday be with Allah. The hunger pangs they experience remind

them to focus on their faith. If a Muslim did not do the fasting (or any other of the Pillars), there are

no consequences, but they are just making it harder to be close to Allah and his path. By not

following the Pillars a Muslim is drifting away from their religion and risk missing eternal life with

Allah.

The date of Ramdan is determined by using the Islamic calendar, not the typical daily calendar .

As a result, Ramadan does not occur during the same time every year. It can occur in December,

July or any days of the year. (Reread the first sentence of this section. What is the effect in a

Moslem’s life as a result of the timing of Ramadan being in July?)

Questions to answer: What other faiths may have fasting and why do they do it?

The Fifth Pillar: Hajj - The Pilgrimage to Mecca

At least once in his or her lifetime, each Muslim is expected to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca, the sacred city of Islam. This holy journey is called the hajj in Arabic. While a visit to Mecca is

beneficial any time of the year, it must take place during the last month of the Islamic year if it is to

fulfill the requirements of the hajj.

Exceptions are made for those who are physically or financially unable to fulfill this obligation,

and one is actually commanded not to make the hajj if to do so would cause hardship for his or her

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family. However, those unable to go themselves may fulfill their obligation by sending someone in

their stead.

The hajj is commanded in the Qur'an - "And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for

mankind, for him who can find the way thither" (3:97) - and its rites were established by Muhammad,

but Muslim tradition dates it back to Adam and Abraham, who were instructed by angels in

the performance of the rites. The hajj was one of the last public acts of worship performed by

Muhammad before his death.

About 2 million Muslims complete the hajj each year. The government of Saudi Arabia has

contributed significant resources to maintain the holy places and manage the crowd of pilgrims.

Despite the large numbers seen in Mecca each year, only a small percentage of Muslims have

fulfilled the duty. Those who have done so may add the title hajjor hajji to their names.

Questions to answer: What other faiths have pilgrimages and where do they go?