Introduction to Christian and Islamic Faith
Primary 4 · Social and Religious Studies
Introduction to Christian and Islamic Faith
Lesson 3 of 5
15 min
On Friday at midday, Amina hears a voice calling from the tall tower of the mosque, and her father puts down his work to go and pray. On Sunday morning, Keza's family walks to church, singing on the way. Both families are going to worship God.
Prayer is talking to God: praising God, thanking God, asking for help and saying sorry. Worship means showing love and honour to God, through prayer, songs, reading the holy book and giving.
Christians can pray at any time and in any place, alone or together. Many close their eyes, fold their hands, kneel or stand. Jesus taught his followers this prayer, which Christians call the Lord's Prayer or "Our Father":
"Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9–13)
"Debts" here means the wrong things we have done. Jesus also said: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them." (Matthew 18:20)
In church, Christians sing hymns and songs of praise, listen to Bible readings and a sermon from the priest or pastor, pray together and give an offering. Many churches share Holy Communion, bread and wine that remind them of Jesus' death for them.
Muslims pray a special prayer called Salah five times every day:
| Prayer | Time |
|---|---|
| Fajr | At dawn, before sunrise |
| Dhuhr | At midday |
| Asr | In the afternoon |
| Maghrib | Just after sunset |
| Isha | At night |
"So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it." (Qur'an 2:144)
The "Inviolable Place of Worship" is the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. Every Salah includes the opening surah of the Qur'an, Al-Fatihah:
"Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, The Beneficent, the Merciful. Owner of the Day of Judgment, Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. Show us the straight path, ..." (Qur'an 1:1–5)
Muslims can also pray in their own words at any time. This is called du'a.
| Church (Christians) | Mosque (Muslims) |
|---|---|
| Often has a cross and a bell tower | Often has a minaret (tall tower) and a dome |
| Altar: the table at the front, used for Holy Communion | Mihrab: a curved space in the wall that shows the direction of Mecca |
| Pulpit: where the sermon is preached | Minbar: steps where the imam gives the Friday sermon |
| Benches or chairs for the people | A carpeted prayer hall; people take off their shoes |
| Led by a priest, pastor or bishop | Prayer is led by an imam |
A cathedral is the main church of a bishop's area.
Tip
Visiting someone else's place of worship? Be quiet, dress modestly, and follow the rules, like taking off your shoes in a mosque. Showing respect is part of being a good neighbour.
Five daily prayers, from dawn to night: F-D-A-M-I (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha).
Answer: Talking to God: praising, thanking, asking for help and saying sorry.
Answer: The Lord's Prayer.
Answer: Five times.
Answer: A minaret.
Answer: Any one: both are places where believers pray together; both have a leader who preaches; both have a special place at the front (altar or mihrab); both welcome respectful visitors.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The rest of the lesson, including the practice questions, is written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Put the five daily prayers of Salah in order, from dawn to night.
Tap the cards in the right order.
