SARA: At 12 Kaisan's old enough to perform Salah the Muslim prayer ritual five times a day. Like all Muslims before he prays or touches the Muslim holy book the Qur'an he makes sure he's clean. This is the washing ritual - Wudhu.
KAISAN: So first you turn on the tap and you wash your right hand three times up to the wrist and then your left three times up to the wrist. You then gurgle some water in your mouth… …three times. You then sniff some water in your nose. After that you wash your face from your forehead to your earlobes to your chin.You wash your arms until your elbow your right hand first then your left hand three times. You then wipe your head all the way and come back down and you can put some water in your ear and then you go onto washing your foot. It's important to be clean for prayer because prayer is a form of speaking to God. So you want to be clean with him because he's the creator so he deserves to be like worshipped clean. Your right foot first up to your ankle. Make sure that the water touches in-between your toes and your ankle. You are now ready to pray or to do other certain acts of worship where you need to be purified.
Video summary
Kaisan, 12, from London, demonstrates how he washes before prayer, using the washing ritual called 'Wudu'.
In the mosque washroom, we see Kaisan wash his hands up to the wrist, wash his mouth and nose, and his face, arms, head and feet in the way that Muslims do all over the world.
This is from the series: My Life, My Religion: Islam.
Teacher Notes
Teach the class that Muslims have a habit of washing five times every day before prayer, which is a habit that is both practical (it helps you to be clean) and spiritual (it reminds you that Allah is the Creator, and when humans come to speak to God, being clean in body is a symbol of being pure in our spiritual lives too).
These clips will be relevant for teaching Religious Education at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and First and Second Level in Scotland.
What is Islam? video
Young Muslim girl Sara gives a brief guide to the faith by describing the five Pillars of Islam: belief, prayer, giving, fasting and pilgrimage.
Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr. video
Sara, aged 11, explains why fasting is good: for devotion to Allah, for self discipline and for sympathy for the poor, explaining her religious practice.
The Muslim pilgrimage, Hajj. video
Sara, aged 11, describes how the Hajj pilgrimage has an impact on Muslims.
Prayer in Islam. video
Kaisan, a 12 year old British Muslim boy, explains how he prays five times a day, and says what it means to him in spiritual terms.
The Qur'an. video
Kaisan and Naeem share ways that the Qur’an makes a difference to their lives.
The Mosque. video
Kaisan, aged 12, shows us round the East London Mosque or Masjid, house of prayer.
Being a young Muslim. video
A young Muslim girl from London called Sara introduces herself, her Muslim faith and her family.
The Hijab. video
Sara, aged 11, has decided to start wearing the hijab as she begins secondary school. She explains why this matters to her and expresses her Muslim faith.
