The main prayer hall itself is furnished with a huge carpet – made in Scotland, the huge chandelier hanging from the central dome was made in Austria and the surrounding glass bulbs in France, all very tasteful in design.
Our guide, a member of the temple guard, explained the major tenets of the Islamic religion in particular emphasising that Islam recognises Jesus as a prophet, adding that there is a whole chapter in the Quran devoted to the stories of Jesus and his preaching. He explained in a most intriguing way why Islam was so important to him but without seeking to force anything upon his audience.
He explained the significance and wording of the key prayer – I suppose the equivalent of the Lord’s Prayer - that is recited five times a day - once at dawn, mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon and dusk and performed for us and explained the wording of the ‘Call to Prayer’ – the evocative call that sounds from the Minarets.
Upon leaving we were offered a paperback version in English of the Quran and several pamphlets explaining Islam and its relationship with Christianity, all of which I accepted for further study.
Whilst not a conversion I have to admit that I found this visit intriguing. I can’t quite ascertain why I found it so moving – perhaps something to do with the simplicity of the Mosque and it furnishings and a sense of God not represented in human form.
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