Normally non-muslims are not allowed to enter the mosque. The Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai is an exception. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding organized guided tours for those who are interesed to understand more about Islam.
Visits are every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, at 10:15am and last for over an hour. Registration is required (from 10:00am to 10:15am) and the entrance fee is 10 Dirhams. Appropriate dress must be worn, i.e. visitors must have arms and legs covered. Trousers and scarfs are available to those who need. Photo or video taking are allowed inside the mosque.
The guides (a man and a lady) were volunteers. They explained that Islam is founded on five principles (Five Pillars): declaring that there is no God but Allah, praying five times a day, charity, making a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Ka'bah) and fasting during Ramadan. For me it's too much emphasis on behaviours.
Then the guy demonstrated a prayer. He also explained a prayer in Arabic. There are horizontal lines on the carpet. The lines are used to guide people where to kneel, so as to optimize the use of space.
No comments:
Post a Comment