Holy Sites and Places of Worship

ISLAM

The Mosque• The term mosque– the Muslim place of

worship is also called Masjid or “place of prostration”

• The leader of prayer and the sermon is called the imam

• Imams are not priests – there is no priesthood in Islam – people can have their own relationship with God

• The Muslim community (known as Umma) is very important – and communal prayer on Fridays is an obligation

The Mosque• There is no central leadership in

Islam • The common practices of Islam

(the 5 pillars) is what keeps Islam united

• These pillars are practiced the same way around the world

• The first mosque was built by Muhammad in Medina

• Friday prayer (Jumah) happens in the afternoon at the mosque

• Friday is not considered to be a day of rest

Features of a mosque• Vary in size, style and appearance• Five times a day, there is a call to prayer (in some

communities) from the minaret• Worshippers perform ritual washing, remove

footwear• Separate entrances, wudu areas and coatrooms

for men and women (to protect modesty)• No chairs in the prayer hall• Decorated with verses from Qur’an• Everyone prays in the same direction (Qiblah),

marked by mihrab• Imam gives a sermon on Fridays from the minbar

Mosque tour (Holy Cribs)

Mosques around the worldBlue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque – Istanbul, Turkey) - 1616

Yogyakarta Sultanate Grand Mosque, Indonesia

Great Mosque – Xian, China (742)

Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia (670)

Jama Masjid - Delhi, India (1650)

Contemporary mosques

Important Sites in Islam• The Kaaba and other important Hajj sites – Mecca,

Saudi Arabia• It is the focus of the Hajj and the place to which

Muslims face during prayer• Mosque of the Prophet – Medina, Saudi Arabia• Muhammad lived on this site and is buried here• Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque –

Jerusalem, Israel• Site of Muhammad’s departure on his Night Journey• Shrine of Hussein and the grave of Ali - Iraq• Where the grandson of Muhammad was killed and

where the heir of Muhammad is buried – significant in Shi’a Islam