The Mosque

Come inside. Welcome to our mosque. Please take your shoes off. Muslims are supposed to wash themselves before they come in, so you can do that here as well.

As you can see a mosque is pretty plain, maybe you even find it boring. There are no paintings or images of people, saints or gods. In Islamic belief people should not try to copy God or his creations. The mosque is decorated with patterns and mosaics.

Instead of chairs we have carpets on the ground. When we pray we sit on the ground. We also listen to our 'minister' the Imam who is standing on the mimbar. He's not standing on the highest step, that one is for the prophet Mohammed. We keep that step clear out of respect.

When we pray we do that in the direction of Mecca. A niche in the wall, the mihrab, shows us the direction.

The mosque is not only for praying or listening. There is also a Koran-school for children and many people come here to meet and talk.