Last week, Brother Khadim, from Newcastle Central Mosque, visited Year Two. He spoke to the children about Islam and what it is like to be a Muslim.
Brother Khadim explained to the boys and girls how Muslims live their lives, including praying five times a day. Before prayer, Muslims perform Wudu to ensure they are clean and ready to pray. They also use a prayer mat which points in the direction of Mecca – the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad. Brother Khadim also showed the children The Qur’an – the holy book of Islam. He explained that the book is written in Arabic, but has been translated into many languages, including English. The pages are read from back to front and each line from left to right.
The children then learned about two Muslim celebrations in their RE lessons, including how Muslim babies are welcomed into the world. Aquiqah, or the naming ceremony, begins as soon as a baby is born. The baby’s father whispers the call to prayer into their ear and they are given something sweet. After one week, the baby’s hair is shaved and weighed to determine how much money the family will give to charity.
Finally, the children learned about Muslim weddings. They sequenced pictures to show what happens before, during and after the ceremony, identifying similarities between the Islamic celebration and a Christian wedding. The children then reflected on which aspect of a Muslim wedding they thought was the most important. The boys and girls concluded the wedding contract was the most important as it is a legal agreement.
