Mosque Activity

Mosque Activity

During the excursion complete the following questions. Once completed hand to your religion teacher.

A Muslim's place of worship is a building called a Mosque.

·        What is an alternative word for mosque?                Temple or a house of God

Most Mosques are divided into two main sections: a courtyard and a main hall.

The call to Prayer

·        Who is the Mu'azzin or Muezzin?        A person whom calls/sings people to come to pray

·        What duty does he perform?                        Sings passages from the Koran      

·        From where does he perform this duty?       The head of the Mosque or the Mineretts

·        What is the Adhan?                               Mislim prayer when they present and sacrifice themselves to their God Allah

·        What is a more common term used for Adhan?  Prayer Worship

·        How often is it performed?                  5 times per day

In the courtyard

·        What occurs in the courtyard?           Washing and purification

·        What is the significance of a fountain or washing area? Be pure for prayer

·        The ritual of wudu is performed at this fountain. Describe this ritual and its purpose. Wudu is the process that you aare cleaned beginning with the face followed by the arms up to the elbow then the hair and lastly the foot up to the ankle.

·        Why are shoes removed before entering the Mosque? Hygene and respect for the Mosque.

In the main hall

·        How is the main hall decorated?                   Colourful, floral, symmetrical, geometric patterns as well as writing from the koran

·        Why are there no statues or paintings?        No one knows what Alla looks like and it is a sin to worship someone or thing other than Alla

·        Where do the worshippers sit?                                   On the rugs

·        Who worships in the main hall?                       The men

·        Where do women worship?                           Upstairs

·        Why?                                                                    Feel more comfortable, less self conscious while praying so that no one gets distracted.

·        What role do women play in the mosque?  Education of foreigners and Muslim children

·        What is the qibla wall?                                     Wall that faces Mecca

·        What is its purpose?                                          To know where to face when paying and house the mihrab to increase the preachers voice

·        What is placed in this wall?                             The Mihrab

·        What is the mihrab?                                          A dome that echos

·        Where is it found?                                              On the qibla wall

·        Describe a typical mihrab?                             A semicircular stone dome structure

·        What is its significance?                                               Faces Mecca

·        What is the minbar or mimbar?                      The Staircase

·        Where is it placed in the mosque?                 Next to the Mihrab on the qiba wall

·        When is it used?                                                 Fridays and Muslim holidays

·        Make a list of the features on the outside of the building that distinguishes a mosque from other religious traditions' places of worship.

·        The mosque was a large building complete with several dome roves and two protruding towers. On the inside it was highly decorated in colourful, floral, symmetrical, geometric patterns as well as writing from the koran