Turkey Bursa/Ulu Cami

Our Last overnight stay was in Bursa.  This is a  Statue of Osman Gazi Khan in front of the Hotel.  Osman I was the leader of the Ottoman Turks and founder of the Ottoman Empire in 1299.  Bursa is the 4th largest city in Turkey with over 2.5 million people

Bursa Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii)

 Ulu Cami (Great Mosque) is the largest mosque in Bursa and a landmark of early Ottoman architecture.
It is a large and rectangular building, with a total of twenty domes that are arranged in four rows of five, and are supported by 12 columns.

Fountain for ritual ablutions

 


Wudhu is the Islamic procedure for washing different body parts in preparation for formal prayers (salah). The 4 obligatory acts (fard) include face, arms (including elbows), head and feet to the ankles.

men on the way to worship

Islamic Articles of Faith 1)there is only one God 2)belief in Angels 3)belief in revelation-Quran 4)Prophets-Mohammed but also Adam,Abraham, Moses, Jesus 5)Resurrection and Judgement 6)Predestination

woman on the way to worship

 
5 pillars of Islam 1)shahadah=creed or testimony 2)salat=daily prayer 5x 3)zakah=alms giving approx 3% of income 4)sawm of Ramadan=month long fast eat, drink only when the sun is down 5)hajj=pilgrimage to Mecca. at least once during life though proxy pilgrimages may be performed for those unable to complete

Marriage in Islam is a civil contract which consist of an offer and acceptance.  The groom is required to pay a bridal gift (mahr) to the bride.  A man may have up to 4 wives if he believes he can treat them equally.  A woman may only have one husband.  I think I would stick to one.

Sharia="the path leading to the watering place" is Islamic law and is the expression of the divine will, and "constitutes a system of duties that are incumbent upon a Muslim by virtue of his religious belief.

Salah or ritual prayer is compensatory and takes place 5x daily.  There is flexibility for those who are unable (work,illness) and may take place anywhere.  The person faces Mecca and if possible joins others in a Mosque.  Minarets call the devout to pray.

minbar

Friday is the "Day of Assembly" and if at all possible Muslims gather for noon prayers.  Following prayers the Imam (religious leader) will use the minbar as a pulpit and deliver a sermon, usually religious but often political in nature.  

Tapestry of Kaabal/Mecca

  Kaaba is the most sacred site in Islam and is felt to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.  All Muslims, matter where they are in the world face Mecca during prayers and this is the destination of the Hajj where they walk around the cube structure 7 x in a counterclockwise direction

Muhammad (c. 570 – June 8, 632) was a trader later becoming a religious, political, and military leader. However, Muslims do not view Muhammad as the creator of Islam, but instead regard him as the last messenger of God, through which the

Muhammad is viewed as the last in a series of prophets.  For the last 22 years of his life, beginning at age 40 in 610 CE  Muhammad started receiving revelations that he believed to be from God. The content of these revelations, known as the Quran, was memorized and recorded by his companions

Spring/Summer Students 2011