1. Ninian Smart - The 7 Dimensions of Religion
Ritual
Repeated actions
Material
Items + places
Social
People + roles
Experiential
Experience
Mythological
Stories
Ethical
Rules + Guidelines
All religions include 7 common ideas
Doctrinal
Beliefs + Meanings

2. Ninian Smart - The 7 Dimensions of Religion
Experiential
Experience
Learning Objective
To evaluate how much awe and experience matter in religion.
We will enquire into the Shahadah (the statement of faith) and practice of Tawaf in Islam
The title for this lesson should be ‘The Experiential Dimension – Tawaf in Islam”
All religions include 7 common ideas

3. What is going on in their heads and hearts?
Draw this table into your books…
THOUGHTS
FEELINGS
BELIEFS and MEANINGS
Get students to draw this table in their books giving enough space to take notes on the following video - (2.5mins). They need to note down in just the top two boxes what they think a believer is thinking and feeling whilst performing tawaf (walking around the Kaaba). They don’t need any subject knowledge for this just the ability to suggest ideas.
The “Beliefs and Meanings” section needs to be larger than the other two because they will be reading an article next and they will then continue to fill that box with more information that they glean from their reading.
Once they have watched the video, take some whole class feedback by asking for examples and ideas. Finish with the question, “If you could ask one question of someone from this video, what would it be?”

4. An insight into their heads and hearts…
Here is an example of a man who has performed Tawaf a number of times. Watch this interview and add more points to your table as to what Muslims may think, feel and believe when they walk around and even just see the Kaaba .
Play this video - (1min) – and allow students to add to their tables. Don’t take feedback at this stage.
FACT: Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, as a committed Muslim, has performed Tawaf and been to the Kaaba in Mecca

5. What are the beliefs behind Tawaf?
Read through the text once, highlighting or underlining the beliefs and key meanings behind the actions of Tawaf. Why do Muslims walk around the Kaaba? Then read back over what you have highlighted or underlined and select some of the most important ones to write into the table in your books.
If there are any words you do not understand then put a circle around them to come back to or to ask someone else about.
Give students about 15minutes for this

6. The next couple of slides are here just to give students a bit more insight into what Tawaf, the Kaaba and the Sacred Mosque look like. It is an incredible building!

7. Muslims at prayer (salat) on hajj

8. Salat prayer on hajj (both those that get into the Sacred Mosque and those that overflow outside!)

9. Evaluating this Dimension
Experiential
Experience
1) How meaningful is Tawaf for Muslims?
2) How much do awe and experience matter in religion? 1
Meaningless
Supremely
Give students a Post-it Note to tear in half and write their name on both halves. Then they need to come and stick one half of the Post-it Note above the continuum line for the first question (Muslims and Tawaf) and the second half below the continuum for the second question (Experience and Religion). 2
Everything matters more
Nothing matters more

10. Make your own… Experiential Experience
A Statement of Faith – what is the basic belief of your religion? When devotees say they follow your religion, what will be the key thing they will be committed to and be wowed by? Come up with a short statement of faith like the Shahadah, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”
A Holy Place – where will the holiest and most important place be in your religion? Choose a meaningful location that somehow is linked to your statement of faith and what your religion is all about (like the Kaaba in Mecca). Draw it either as a map, building plan, or how it will be laid out, and explain it below.
Other things to consider:
What will you call your statement of faith and your holy place?
What will the holiest place be? What will be there? Why?
Give students up to 20 minutes to create their own. The statement of faith is the most important bit and the holy place is an extension for those that get that far.
REMEMBER…
Are you making detailed notes now to make neat later or are you creating now?