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April 21, 2010 – News of Abrahamic Interest

  • The Jews of Iraq: 3000 Years of History and Culture

- Read the book’s Foreword, Written by Joseph Montiville

- Visit the publisher’s site, Fons Vitae

On a stormy winter day Interfaith Encounter Association gathered again at the warm Swedish Theological Institute for a joint conversation. This time we talked about prayer in Judaism and Islam.

We noted several points of similarity between the religions in this area. As is well known, both religions are based on Halacha/ Shari’a – religious law. The prayer in these religions is not a spontaneous act but a well defined and pre-determined text that has to be said a fixed number of times each day (three/ five). Nonetheless, even in the obligatory prayer there is a dimension of personal expression. We learned that the Muslim worshiper can choose which Koranic Sura (=chapter) to recite during his prayer. Similarly, in the Jewish prayer, the worshiper is allowed to add personal requests as he wishes. In both religions there is a central value to praying in a community. Likewise in both religions there is significance to the place of prayer (synagogue/ mosque), and the worshiper has to be oriented to a specific direction (”Kibla”). In Judaism the “Kibla” is Jerusalem , which was the first Kibla in Islam, before it was accepted that the direction of the prayer should be towards the Kaaba in Mecca (see Koran, 2nd Sura, verses 142-145).

Still, there are also a few significant differences. In the Muslim prayer purification of the body is central. The worshiper has to wash his body before praying (”Wudu”). In Judaism the obligation is only to wash the hands, and even with that most people are strict only in the Morning Prayer (although, in the time of the Temple – the priests used to wash also their feet). Also: the position of the body is different. In Judaism there is no order related, except for standing during the silent prayer and bowing is certain places. On the other hand: the Muslim prayer includes a series of different physical gestures: Raku – bending while putting the palms on the knees; Sujud – bowing on the floor and putting the forehead on it (a gesture performed by Jews only once a year, in the Day of Atonement), Julus (sitting) etc.

Also: in Islam anyone who is impure is forbidden to pray. A woman during her period does not pray and a person who had sexual relations has to wash the body before praying. In Judaism, in comparison, there is no limitation on a woman during her period to perform prayer or the commandments in general. There is a custom to ritually wash after sexual intercourse (Ezra’s ritual immersion) but it is not widespread.

IEA Report by Dotan Arad