The Muslim at Prayer- In Comparison to the Bible pdf

The Muslim at Prayer

THE MUSLIM AT PRAYER

Book Contents

• The Mosque in Islam   
• Who Can Lead the Prayers?  
• Who Owns a Mosque?
• The Use of a Mosque  
• The Building of a Mosque  
• Unity of Faith            
• Muhammad in the Bible    
• God Begets Not         
• Prayer in Islam              
• Comparison of Prayer           
• Birth of Jesus (A Qur’anic Conception)
• Jesus is Not God    

In order to better understand Islam, it is helpful to know what a mosque means to Muslims. It differs considerably from what a church is to Christians.

For example, a Muslim does not belong to a mosque as a Christian belongs to a church. For Muslims, the offering of prayers is not confined to a mosque at all; rather, they can pray outside the mosque anywhere in the world.

Who Can Lead the Prayers?

As there is no priesthood in Islam, any Muslim who knows the essentials of prayer can lead the congregational prayer in a mosque . As long as he has the knowledge of the specific prayers offered on particular occasions such as death and ‘Eed celebrations, he can lead congregational prayers or perform other religious ceremonies.

 However, it is incumbent upon all Muslims to choose the most qualified person to lead the prayer – the one who excels all others in Qur’anic knowledge and righteousness. Usually, an imam is chosen who is well-versed in Islamic law and jurisp rudence , but it must be understood that this is not a definitive criteria for ability to lead the prayer.

Who Owns a Mosque?

The actual structure of a mosque along with all of its contents is intended for the service of Allah alone . Hence its ownership does not belong to any individual or organization. The owner of the land on which a mosque is constructed divests himself of its ownership in the name of Allah ;

so, unlike a church, a mosque cannot be sold, mortgaged or rented. Thus the sanctity of a mosque is preserved in Islam.

The Use of a Mosque

A mosque is essentially a sacred place meant for congregational prayers, but it can be used as a center for education, social welfare and the decision of matters according to Islamic law .

The building of a Mosque

When a mosque is constmcted, it is aligned in the direction of the Ka ‘bah (the mosque which was built by Prophet Abraham in Makkah al-Muka rramah). All Muslims from the four comers of the world face the Ka ‘bah at the time of prayer.

Thus the Ka ‘bah is a symbol of the ceremonial uniformity and singleness of devotion which exists over and above the spiritual unity of faith in one God that all Muslims possess.

Unity of faith

In order to further comprehend this unity of faith, it is beneficial to make a comparative study of the relationship between the various aspects of Islamic prayer and the teachings of the People of the Book (i.e., the Jews and the Christians).

This study is also necessary to refute the strong misconception that exists today among non-Muslims that Islam is a mystical cult abounding in dogmas, superstitions and rituals.

The fact about Islam is that it is a simple, reasonable and practical religion free from priestcraft and the above charges.

It is a way of life for the social, moral and spiritual development of humani ty. It does not demand a man to surrender his reasoning faculties nor does it demand a blind faith in obscure and inexplicable mysteries.

It teaches the purest form of monotheism and regards polytheism as an unpardonable sin.

Although Islam is regarded as the youngest of all revealed religions, it is not a new religion; rather, it is a continuation of the first religion of God to man, restored to its original purity, and purged and purified, time after time, from all human adulterations.

 Thus all prophets from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them) preached the same religion, which continued to grow until it reached perfection at the hands of Prophet Muhammad.

As a matter of fact, Islam is the only religion in the world that commands its followers to respect and revere the founders of all revealed religions, such as Abraham, Moses, Noah, Jesus, etc.

Muhammad in the Bible

The advent of Prophet Muhammad has been prophesied in religious scriptures, including the Bible. In the words of Jesus in the New Testament: