Islam - Visiting a Mosque

Visiting a Mosque

• Muslims strive to come together for congregational prayer every Friday afternoon, although they can pray anywhere.
When visiting a mosque:
• Remove your shoes before entering to maintain a clean, dry space for prayer.
• The mosque usually contains a mihrab, an alcove that marks the direction of Mecca.
• Many mosques also have a gallery for women.
• Before prayer, Muslims perform ablutions, and there is often running water outside the prayer room for this purpose.
• The mosque is open for prayer five times a day, and the main room is generally free of furniture.