RELG 402 - World's Living Religions
Visit to a Mosque or Islamic Center
The visit is an option - it is not a requirement of the Course, but it will probably be very helpful for understanding people who have different religious traditions.
A visit to another religion or denomination is similar to a cross-cultural exchange.
Be prepared to encounter differences in world-view, religious practice, music, language, standards of dress.
Be prepared to exercise tact, politeness, flexibility and patience.
Try to avoid religious or political debate.
There are several Mosques and Islamic Centers in New Mexico, including the Golden Mosque in Clovis, and others in Roswell, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces.
The Golden Mosque in Clovis has a facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/TheGoldenMosque/
One of the goals of this course is to understand religions as they are lived and practiced by real communities. This assignment provides an opportunity to move beyond the textbook and class notes, by attending a meeting of an Islamic community and reflecting on your experience.
The assignment is designed to help you develop skills in observation, description, analysis, and self-reflection while engaging respectfully with a religious tradition other than your own.
If you decide to visit a Mosque or Islamic Center
Locating and contacting a mosque to visit is part of the assignment.
Before attending, you should contact the Mosque and ask if visitors are welcome, and when would be the best occasion for a visit. Also ask about appropriate dress.
Make sure you know the Street Address, Phone Number, Day and Time of the meeting
Some Islamic Centers offer educational lectures or study programs.
Congregational Prayer (Jumu'ah) takes place on Fridays, but non-Moslems would not be expected to take part in the Prayers.
When attending the mosque - Upon arrival, introduce yourself to a greeter if there appears to be one, and follow his instructions.
Your goal is to learn about Islam through direct observation and respectful interaction.
If you are attending the Congregational Prayers, you should not take notes during the visit.
As soon as possible after the visit, take time to make notes on the following questions:
- What did the building look like from the outside?
- What did the interior of the building look like?
- Were there any architectural features specific to Islam?
- How was the prayer space arranged?
- What objects, symbols, or calligraphy were there? Were you able to ask what they meant?
- What activities take place in the building?
- How was Prayer conducted?
- What role did the Imam play?
- How did participants prepare for Prayer?
- How did people interact before and during worship?
- Were women present during the Prayers? and if so, what did they do?
- What were the demographics of the group (ages, sex, backgrounds)?
- Were there times of hospitality or education?
- What was one of the main themes of the khutbah (sermon)? (if there was one)
- What languages were used?
- How did participants react during the service? (standing, sitting, kneeling, prostration, etc.)
- What were your interactions with members of the community?
- What surprised you?
- What challenged you?
- What questions emerged from the experience?
For your Essay, you should describe the visit in enough detail that a reader who was not present could visualize the experience. Your essay should answer the questions asked for your notes, and should include:
- How you prepared for the visit
- The Name, address, and contact information of the Mosque or Islamic Center
- Date and time of attendance
- Type of event attended
- Approximate number of participants
- The name of the Imam or other leader
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