1. Sufi Punk: Too punk to pray? What is praying? Can you find insights from Islamic prayer to help you understand praying in your own life? Read Sufi Punk’s article. She is a Muslim photographic artist.

2. Prayer? Me? I’m not saying. Maybe, some days. What % of young people 13-15 said they had prayed in the last month. Surprisingly, 84% But are some people too punk to pray?

3. ` Sufi says: “Everyone prays, be it ritualistic prayers to a God or people doing everyday things such as watching the rain fall or listening to music.” Prayer: is it rainfall and music for you, or is it hands together and repeated words? Could it be both?

4. When you sit still, and take a moment, how do you feel? Does calm descend like rain? Does peace surround you? Is it prayer, or meditation, or reflection?

5. Muslim ritual prayer is to be done five times each day. Words repeated, actions and bowings, all facing the holy city. But it’s the prayer of the heart that is real, and this might be anytime. Prayer could be for anyone. Like falling rain, or the singing voice, the heart could move to prayer any time. Does your heart move?

6. Starting to reflect, to meditate or pray, it’s not just Muslims who concentrate the mind, and say how they will pray today.

7. Set your clothes, take a moment to position your body, focus your mind. Does this make you ready, make you steady?

8. To lower yourself, to bow, to kneel: unusual body language. In Islam, it says it is good to make the body low in front of the Might of God.

9. Do we all get arrogant sometimes? Lots of us do. Is it good for people to bow and lower themselves? In Islamic practice, bowing to pray 5 times a day is a way to show you submit to Allah, you go low to God.

10. No one is excluded. God could hear anyone’s prayers, whispered or silent. No one is too punk – or too anything – to pray

11. It is good to be clean. To come clean. What ever that means to you, it may be good.

12. Counting the beads, reciting the names of God, creates a little mental space for peace.

13. Open hands, time to think, concentrated and calm. Would you be better off if this was part of your daily routine?

14. Falling water A symbol of the spiritual? Time taken for yourself and for your link to whatever lies beyond us. The search for peace, every day.

15. Does everyone need peace. Does everyone seek the spiritual? Would everyone benefit from five moments to be still in a day?

16. The Prophet once said: “If you walk towards God Then God runs towards you.”

17. What do you think? Read the article about Sufi Punk with a partner. Discuss: What would be your definition of prayer? What would be your definition of prayer? Which image do you like best? Which image do you like best? What is your image of Islam? What is your image of Islam? Can anyone be ‘too punk to pray’, or will God hear everyone’s prayers? Can anyone be ‘too punk to pray’, or will God hear everyone’s prayers? Why do people often have a negative image of religion, or of Islam in particular? Why do people often have a negative image of religion, or of Islam in particular? ‘English Muslim’ is a growing identity in the UK today. What might be characteristic of English Muslims? ‘English Muslim’ is a growing identity in the UK today. What might be characteristic of English Muslims? Do you agree with Sufi Punk’s idea that prayer can be any moment in which you submit yourself to the world? Do you agree with Sufi Punk’s idea that prayer can be any moment in which you submit yourself to the world?

18. RE Today on the web www.retoday.org.uk Images used by permission, Ulfah Arts.

19. REtoday would like to thank Sufi Punk and Ulfah Arts for their interesting contribution to this article and resource REtoday would like to thank Sufi Punk and Ulfah Arts for their interesting contribution to this article and resource http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BGMYSFH 6o provides another version of this material http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BGMYSFH 6o provides another version of this material http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BGMYSFH 6o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BGMYSFH 6o This file is available as: This file is available as: A members download from the RE Today website, A members download from the RE Today website, For use in the RE Today member’s school only. For use in the RE Today member’s school only. For use by NATRE linked local groups For use by NATRE linked local groups All other uses are by written permission only. All other uses are by written permission only. www.retoday.org.uk