FIRST TIME IN A MOSQUE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

This is probably the question of many who are new to the Islam as well as those who are not sure of how to behave when going to a mosque. This is a piece of advice, based on my own experience, to give you some directions of what you should do when you first visit a mosque.

Abubakr Mosque (Islamic Educational & Recreational Institute) 165-169 The Broadway, Southall, Middlesex UB1 1LR

Website: http://www.abubakrmosque-southall.org.uk/

Story time

It was Friday when I visited Southall, the neighborhood I chose to explore for my Ethnic community project. I was walking on The Broadway Street, one of the main streets in Southall with a plethora of groceries and clothing shops, jewelry stores, and restaurants. I walked past a mosque which, from the outside, did not look like a mosque to me, at least in my imagination. The reason why I knew it was a mosque was that I saw the photo of it on the Southall’s website before. I wanted to see how the mosque looked like so I decided to go inside. However, I had no idea of what I should do and how I should behave, so I made a few mistakes. Luckily, people were very nice and friendly so they helped me to go through the complex process when I was inside.

When I first entered the mosque, I did not know that I had to take my shoes off so I was told by one man that I should do so. I took my shoes off and put them on the shoes rack. The man kindly asked me if I needed anything. I told him that I was just looking around. A little bit later, I asked him if I could go around the mosque to visit as it was my first time in this place of worship. He gently pointed towards the ladies’ praying room and told me to go inside. I followed his instructions and entered the room. Unlike other religions, Muslim men and women pray in separate rooms. This is an act of modesty and to ensure that there is no distraction. I saw a lot of Muslim women inside, sitting on the floor and talking to one another. I stood at the entrance for 5 minutes, because I did not know what to do next. There were a couple of women went in and out but I did not have courage to ask any of them for help. Finally, when one old woman passed by, I voiced myself and asked her to give me some guidelines of what I should do. She smiled at me and took me to another woman who is in charge of the place.

The woman looked at me and kindly told me what I should do. I did not cover my hair so she lent me a scarf. However, I needed to perform wudhoo/wudu/wudhu before praying. wudhoo is a ritual cleansing in preparation for prayer. I needed to wash my mouth, nose, face, arms, and legs for three times. I also washed my hair and ears for one time. After wudhoo, I put on a scarf to cover my hair. I had to take my socks off because there were cartoon designs on my socks. I was told that I should wear plain socks or I can be bare feet. Then, the woman showed me how to bow and pray. After that, I joined other women and waited until the prayer began. During the waiting time, I talked to one Afghanistan girl who helped me a lot as I followed what she did when the prayer was in process.

Some women tried to talk to me and kept asking me if I liked to be there. They were trying to convert me by telling me how wonderful Islam was. If I got married to a Muslim, I would be very happy as my husband would love me a lot. Moreover, they also told me that if I were a Muslim, I should not drink, should not eat pork, and eat only halal meat. They wanted to make sure that I asked my parents before I decided to convert. To a non-religious person like me, I find people’s strong faith in their own religion very interesting. I did not really believe in what they told me, but I truly respect their point of view. People’s absolute faith in religions never fails to surprise me.

I went to the mosque on Friday, which is the day for Salat al-Jumu’ah, aka Friday prayer. This is a congregational prayer. You can think of this the same as a Sunday Church for Christians. When the Jumu’ah began, everyone bowed 4 times. Then people listened to the Qur’an and prayed in between. To end the prayer, people bowed 6 times. The prayer lasted for 20 minutes but I think it was strenuous as I had to bow so many times. Standing up, bending over, kneeling, and bowing were not easy. As I was not used to the practice, I felt a little tired after the prayer ended. After the Jumu’ah, most people left. However, some stayed to do some reading or talk with friends. I returned the scarf and left the mosque. I also donated to the mosque as an act of gratitude for the people who helped me while I was there.

My first experience in a mosque is bizarre and mind-boggling. I was a little bit scared as people were trying to convert me. However, all in all, people were very helpful and friendly. I enjoy the time there a lot as I learned much more about Islam and how Muslims practice their religion.

Things to remember and to know when you visit a mosque:

1) Mosques often have separate entrances for men and women, so pay close attention to which entrance you use to enter the building. Look for the signs.

When I first entered the mosque, I used the wrong entrance but I did not realize it until I left the mosque.

2) Make sure that you wear appropriate clothes, covering as much of your skin as possible. Try to wear modest clothes. Avoid bright color, shirts with motifs or messages. Make sure every part of your body is fully covered. Women should remember to cover their hair with a scarf.

3) Take your shoes off. Before entering the mosque, take your shoes off and put them on the rack, or leave them at the doorstep.

4) Wear plain socks. Do not wear socks with funny designs or else you need to take them off.

5) Be respectful. Stay quiet and mindful during your time in a mosque. Set your phone on silent mode to avoid disturbing others.

6) Detailed explanation of how to perform wudhoo