Comparing an Islamic Mosque and a Christian Church
This is a special building used by Muslims for their worship. It is called a Mosque. What is the special building used by Christians for their worship called?
Christians worship in buildings called churches. This is a picture of All Saints Church in Cambridge.
When you arrive at a Mosque the first thing you do is remove your shoes. Shelves are provided to put them on.
Before you enter the prayer hall to pray you must carry out ritual washing. This is called the Wudhu. Muslims must be clean and wear good clothes before they present themselves to God.
You wash the following areas during the Wudhu: 1. Hands 2. Nose 3. Face 4. Arms 5. Hair 6. Feet Men and Women wash separately and pray in different areas of the Mosque. What do you do when you arrive at a Christian church?
Traditionally, when men arrive at a Christian church they remove their hats as a sign of respect. Men and Women sit together.
The Prayer Room, or Musalla is often free from furniture so that worshippers can kneel side by side on the floor
All Mosques have a Mihrab that indicates which wall of the Mosque faces Mecca, the direction Muslims face to pray. The Imam (religious leader/teacher) stands here and leads the service The most scared space inside a Christian church is the area where the altar is. How is the space decorated in a Christian church?
A church altar is often covered with a fine cloth and has special objects on it like crosses and candles. Churches can be decorated with a variety of objects, artwork and monuments commemorating lots of different people, events and stories
Muslims pray five times a day, it is known as Salat. The prayer timetable helps form the schedule of their day. They pray at the following times: 1. Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise 2. Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest 3. Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon 4. Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset 5. Salat al-'isha: between sunset and midnight
How do Christians pray? Prayer for a Muslim unites the mind, body and soul and as they pray they also perform set movements. It is a universal Muslim tradition connecting each Muslim to others around the world. Muslims can pray alone, anywhere, or together in the Mosque. Friday is the Muslim day of communal prayer and so the Mosque is particularly busy.
Christians can either sit in benches called pews to listen to the service or kneel on cushions to pray. Christian worship can often involve music, readings, prayers, Holy sermons or special Holy ceremonies. Christians can also pray alone, anywhere or together in a church. Churches are particularly busy during religious holidays such as Christmas or Easter.
The Qur'an, the Muslim Holy Book, is the Sacred Word of God. It is written in Arabic and it has 114 chapters There are lots of copies of The Qur'an inside a Mosque and everyone is welcome to use them for study and reflection What is the holy book used in Christian churches called?
The Christian holy book is called the Bible. The Bible contains lots of different books with their own names. A priest might read the bible from the pulpit, or from the lectern, which in many churches is shaped like an eagle with outstretched wings.
You might find some examples of Islamic Calligraphy inside Mosques. They are often sections of the Qur'an, The Muslim Holy Book. What is the most well known symbol found in a Christian church?
You will find lots of symbols in Christian churches but the most recognised is the cross. It reminds Christians of the cross that Jesus was crucified on and of the sacrifices he made in his life. You will see crosses made of all different materials in churches metal, wood and stone like this one.
Thank you to Sabina Tahir and The Abu Bakr Mosque in Cambridge for their help and support. Photo credits to Andy Marshall, Joseph Casey and The Churches Conservation Trust. All Churches featured are cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT)