|
subject |
Islam - Rituals and Customs |
|
topic |
Prayers |
|
grade |
Three |
|
time |
30 minutes |
|
objective |
To enable students to understand how and
why Muslims perform their prayers. |
|
instructional
material |
Pictures of how to do wudu, and how Muslims
stand for prayer (from “Our Religion is Islam” by Labiba Hassan &
Tasneema Ghazi) |
INTRODUCTION
The name for prayer in Arabic is “Salah”, and
it is done five times a day for all Muslims.
They are regarded as a direct link between the worshipper and God. In Islam, there is no hierarchical authority,
and no priests. The prayers are led by a
learned person who knows the Quran, and is generally chosen by the
congregation.
The five times for prayer are
: dawn, mid-day, late afternoon, sunset, and nightfall; these determine
the rhythm of the entire day. The
prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Quranic Arabic (slightly
different from Arabic dialects spoken in countries whose official language is
Arabic), however they can be offered in any
language. Finally, it is preferable to
worship together in a Mosque, but a Muslim can pray almost anywhere, provided
that the area where he/she prays is clean and witout interruption.
By praying so often every day, a Muslim is
constantly reminded of God, and the wonderful things God has given and created.
DEVELOPMENT
Go through the pictures with the students,
explaining the steps.
REINFORCING ACTIVITIES
Let students colour in the picture of how
Muslims stand for prayer.