By Ria Davies & Evan Burnell

Islam is the religion of people called Muslims. Muslims believe that someone is more important than themselves and they obey them. Muslims believe this person is God, whom they call Allah. Muslims believe that there is one God and he is eternal.

This is the symbol most often used for Islam.

There are over 1.2 billion Muslims in the world today, living in almost every country in the world. About 3 million Muslims live in the U.S.A, about 5.5 million live in Britain, and about 220,000 live in Australia. In most of the countries in Northern Africa and in the middle east, over half of the population are Muslims. In Europe, Islam in the second is the second largest religion after Christianity.

The Minbar The Mihrad Raised platform next to the mihrab. The immam stands on it when he preaches. Some minbars are very decorated, others may just be a simple flight of stairs. It raises the immam so that can everyone can hear him clearly. Alcove or arch set into the wall. Shows the quiblah. Pray leader usually stands in from the mihrab. The main room of the mosque There is no furniture. Decorated in Arabic text. Never any pictures. Usually covered in carpet. May have a large symbol dome on the roof or one or more smaller ones. This is called the prayer hall. Muslims pray in this room at prayer times. Muslims may use prayer mats. Muslims prayers involve standing, bowing and kneeling.

Muslims pray in a place called the mosque. In the entrance of the mosque there is a row of clocks to inform them of the prayer times of the day. Muslims take off their shoes before they enter the mosque. Muslims then perform wudu, washing to make themselves fit for the prayer.

There are no pictures or statues in a mosque. They are decorated with patterns and words from the qur’an. The have very little furniture in them because Muslim's use prayer mats for prayer. All Muslim's try to go to the mosque on Friday, that is a special day for prayer and many Muslims try to get there for midday prayers. When people go into the mosque they fetch their shoes off. This is to keep it clean for the prayer. There is often a fountain or pool, or at least an area with water where people can wash. Women do not pray in the same place as men, there is usually a screened off area for them. Most mosque’s have a Qur’an school where the children are taught the qur’an. 

The mosque might be used for meetings and quiet meditation as well as prayer. There is always a quibla wall which is the one acing makkah, it has an empty arch to signify the decoration. Near the arch there is often a minbar, a pulpit with steps from where a sermon is delivered at midday on Friday. Sometimes there will be a set of clocks indicating the times for the prayers throughout the day. Large mosques might have an imam, a prayer leader. If they do not have one any adult may lead the prayers.

THE MUSLIMS SCRIPTURE IS THE HOLY QUR’AN. IT IS ‘THE WORD OF GOD’. MUSLIMS BELIEFS AND PRACTISES ARE ROOTED IN THE QUR’AN. MUSLIMS TREAT THE QUR’AN WITH GREAT RESPECT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THE QUR’AN IS FROM ALLAH, AND EVERY WORD AND LETTER IS SACRED. IT IS USUALLYPLACED ON A SPECIAL WOODEN STAND TO BE READ. MUSLIMS REGARD THE QUR’AN AS THE UNALTERED WORD OF GOD.

The Muslim building for communal worship is called a mosque. Muslims often refer to the mosque by it’s Arabic name, masjid. The word comes from the Arabic for “place of prostration”. Very often Mosques have a domed roof and a tall tower called a minaret. Muslims are called to prayer from the minaret. The mean who enters the minaret and calles them to prayer called a muezzin. In Britain, calling Muslims to pray this way is not allowed, so some Islamic communities broadcast the call to prayer on a radio frequency which Muslims can pick up their homes and places of work using small receiver. There are no pictures or statues in a mosque. They are decorated with patterns and words from the Qur’an. There is also very little furniture inside because Muslims use prayer mats for prayer. When people go into the mosque they take off their shoes. This is to keep it clean for prayer. There is often a fountain or pool, or at least an area with water where people can wash. Muslim wash their hands, mouth, throat, nose, ears, arms up to the elbow and geet. This is a sacred was that symbolises spiritual cleansing and purity in readiness for coming before God.

There is always a quibla wall in a Mosque which is one facing Makka (Mecca), it has an empty arch to signify the direction. It is important that Muslims always know the direction of Mecca. Women do not pray in the same place as men, there is usually a screened off area for them. When are services held? Services are held every day at the mosque. When is the most important service at Mosque held? On Friday at noon. All Muslims go to the mosque on Friday. It is a special day for prayer.