Muslims...can you help me on this one please??

Question

1)You know when you pray, aren't you supposed to face Mecca??
Coz when I saw this one Muslim guy praying he wasn't facing the way Mecca was!! I know this because I was in South Africa by the sea on the east coast, but he was facing south!!
2)Whenever I see mosques they all have inscriptions on the exteriors. Are they prayers or what??

Peace
(**,)

3) Why do the mosques have domes??

thanks

Answer 1

The guy must have had a mistake, deciding the direction of Mecca. Muslims DO need to face Mecca, in order to say their prayers, whereever they are in the world. In South Africa, the direction to mecca would be North-East-North, or about 1'o clock in military terms.

The inscriptions on the exterior and interior of the mosques could contain:

1). Quranic Verses. (The most widely used method to decorate mosques)
2). The First Kalma : Translation (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet), 2nd Kalma is also widely used.
3). Sayings of The Holy Prophet
4). Durood Sharif : Praise of The Holy Prophet in Arabic
5). Prayers that are taught to muslims by Allah (in Quran) or by the Holy Prophet (through his sayings). So this becomes a combination of point 1 and 3.
6). Poetry about various aspects of Islam. (least used in mosques).

The fact that you see such inscriptions on the mosques is that drawing of humans and animals is prohibited in Islam. Therefore Muslims (Unlike Catholics that have statues and paintings of Mary, Jesus and even God) are forbade to draw in mosques except plants and floral and geometric patterns. Thatswhy muslims consider a drawing related to any prophet (Even Jesus) to be blasphemous.

About the domes there might be many explanations but a technical one is as follows:

There are different ways for calling worshipers in different religions. Christians use giant bells. Jews blow horns. Hindus use horns and also use small bells. However for muslims, human voice is used in the form of Azaan (Call for Prayer). Dome is an excellent way to produce echo to any voice. The Cordoba mosque (built in 8th century AD) is just one of the example where you can recite Azaan in a specific place and it is transmitted throughout the mosque and even outside, without the use of any sort of lodspeeker (Although it is not permitted by spanish government, the mosque is only a tourist attraction, closed to prayers for muslims). Therefore domes have become almost an essential part of Mosques since ancient times.

Answer 2

You are suppossed to face the direction of the Qiblah which is in Mecca. That's why we pray in the direction of Mecca. I am not too sure on the inscriptions above the doors of the mosques as I have been unable to be inside a mosque yet but I think they stand for the testimony and first pillar of Islam which is there is no god but god and muhammad(pbuh*) is his messenger. Third question why do mosques have domes. I think it is to provide more space in the ceiling but honestly i have no idea so i am just guessing.

Answer 3

1. Yes, you are supposed to pray facing Mecca/

2. I don't know for sure. I would guess prayers, maybe Quran ayas, or even directional signage?

3. I asked a muslim friend, and he said domes signify the heavens above those praying and worshiping.


* I am not a muslim, only telling what I know from muslim friends.

Answer 4

1-Yes, we are supposed to pray facing makkah that what allah (s.w.t) and his prophet mohamed peace be up on him tell us .
its get different between countries .. but maybe they try hard to know the direction so they could be right and they could be not ..

2- it could be some verses from the holy qur'an.. i always saw these verses i dont know about prayers .

3- its decorating purpose and its a sign for the mosque .. so huge mosques like to have more than domes it give them an amazing view :)

Answer 5

Muslim religion is very ancient. It was handed down from a pagan belief thousands of years ago. I know I will hear a fire storm but look it up in Encarta. They were years ago sex worshipers. They worshiped the phallic symbol of fertility or the male organ. They took multiple wives and had orgy's with young women to insure fertility. Then if a girl babie was born first it was killed until they almost died out as a race. Mohammad stopped those practices. No more killing of baby,'s no more using women for sex unless she was your wife. But some remnants stayed like the dome.
Christians are not much different, Sex worshipers of ancient times had Rabbits laying colored eggs. In the spring time festivals. As part of sex worship. The cross was an ancient sex symbol, brought into Christianity by pagans in the 3rd century.
The Christmas celebration was brought into Christianity by sun worshipers who cut down the only tree still green and put candles on it representing sun and stars. In the forth century.
Then just the name was changed it became Jesus the son of God's birthday.
Santa Clause was an ancient Norse myth that is told as truth.
So If they have a dome it is small compared to what Christians have from ancient sex worshipers.

Answer 6

Muslims pray facing the Kabaa that Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishamel built. Maybe he made a mistake, may Allah accept his prayer

Answer 7

You're supposed to face East, I believe. Maybe he was confused.