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.

 

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