Muslim prayers

[Amibeingtoosensitive]

My DD (9) had R.E today
They were learning about Muslim prayers. All fine.
They then went on to get prayer mats and say a Muslim prayer, with their shoes off, on their knees as a group.

AIBU to feel uncomfortable about my DD being made to do a religious practice we do not believe in.

Ohh okay.. so lets let the children watch a video and read a few books about handwriting instead of actually letting them write.

They can still visit places of worship and meet people from that religion to hear their experiences, or even watch others praying or worshipping. It's totally different to asking a class to do it themselves.

if the atheists out there still celebrate christmas and easter two RELIGIOUS holidays in england

In modern English culture neither christmas or easter are religious holidays! And both of them predate christianity, so they are at least pagan events. I don't even know if that is considered even a religion?

Thats the thing. ALOT of muslim children attend non religious public schools and are still made to say the lords prayer is assembleys. Do you threads about this? No. Why not? Because most adults are happy for there children to learn about others beliefs because thats how they grow up with an understanding of other peoples ways of life. Rather then growing up.in a bubble thinking there way is the righr way everyone else is wrong.

I went to a beautiful mosque in Ciaro. I covered up and was in awe at its beauty. I read the pamphlets about the history. It was intresting. No prayer needed.

waves at the daily mail journalist

considering prayer is a major part of islam what better way to learnt then to do it?

The way where no teacher is responsible for a student performing a religious ritual?

The different prayers are an important thing for practicising Jews as well. Ritualistic and not exactly... "simple".

should they do that as well?

What better way to learn about Judaism, right?

How does I took communion in church (bread wafer) gives you any understanding of the religion?

I would totally support non christian parents complaining against it, the same way that I would strongly complain about my kids be made to say muslim prayers.

I wouldn't do this myself but I'm secondary, I can see why it might appeal more to younger children. It is role play not an act of worship, they won't have known the Arabic for the prayers so how can they have actually worshipped? The different movements have symbolic meaning, I can see why you might want to try them out to demonstrate this and would be more memorable than a video. I wouldn't as I know some non-Muslim parents might object, but mostly as I think it would/could offend Muslims and the children might do it in a mocking way. I am often being asked to do meditation with students when teaching Buddhism, and I don't feel comfortable doing that. I think the teacher was trying to bring the topic to life. Maybe she went too far but it's better children learn about Islam than remain ignorant and prejudiced.

yes, but none of those things are praying, are they?
I'm a humanist, it's all nonsense to me but I get that it isn't to other people and so their beliefs should be respected. For example, as I understand it only baptised people should take communion in church- would people think it OK for kids in school to be given the bread/wine that has been blessed? Or for someone to pretend to be the priest who blessed the bread/wine?

ChrisYoung And just how many many Muslim parents have you conducted your make-believe survey with before you came to that ridiculous conclusion ?

Learning about religion and visiting a place to worship are the same are they not?

Except that school trips require informing and getting parental permission

Lol i honestly cannot believe how many people would be offended by there children learning something new. Are you bothered when your children are making diya lamps for diwali in nursery. Or are you more bothered by the words muslim and islam.

I wouldn't be happy about it. And I'd feel the same if my DCs were made recite Christian prayers, say at assembly, which they're not as it's a secular school.

Thats the thing. ALOT of muslim children attend non religious public schools and are still made to say the lords prayer is assembleys. Do you threads about this? No. Why not? Because most adults are happy for there children to learn about others beliefs because thats how they grow up with an understanding of other peoples ways of life. Rather then growing up.in a bubble thinking there way is the righr way everyone else is wrong.

My Muslim friends' children don't say the Lord's Prayer in assembly. Their parents would be very unhappy if pressure were put on them to say it. The children just sit quietly without taking part or are withdrawn from religious assemblies.

I visited Istanbul not too long ago and before entering the Blue Mosque, we were told there was a free class on Islam taking place and we were welcome to attend.

We attended and it was very interesting. It was instructed by an Imam. It involved learning about prayer, the call to prayer, what the call to prayer meant, etc.

At no time were we given prayer mats and told to play act it. Why on earth would you need to?

If a proper religious class in an Islamic country, instructed by an Imam didnt feel the need for the play acting, why bother getting school children here to do it? What does it add?

Like doing a fake Holy Communion, what is the point?

For those saying visit a mosque, synagogue etc have you any idea how hard it is to get time out of school/money for the trip (and there's a whole other thread!) not to mention the paperwork involved.
As usual many posters are conflating religious studies/education and religious observance in assemblies.

Booshbeesh - I am not small minded at all. I encourage my DDs to learn about anything and everything. I've even introduced them to trans people to teach them that people are allowed to choose for themselves what and who they want to be. I have friends of all different faiths and all different colours.

However, this Muslim prayer thing is apparently big, it's been in the news and on TV. Many schools who are not even allowed to teach Christianity any more, are having 'Muslim' days at school. That is what gets me worked up.

. The more young kids are exposed to the peaceful practices of Islam
Please tell me your joking.

Yes I do particpate in Christmas and Easter despite being an atheist. My DCs and I don't say prayers or go to church at this time.
To the poster who posed this question.

ChrisYpungFuckingRocks. ..seriously? The agreed syllabus in our local authority area covers islam, Judaism and Christianity with more emphasis on Christianity and there are much shorter bits on Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. I think people moan about the Muslim bit more than the other bits. As for every muslim parent bring up in arms. That does not happen at the school I work at. The many, many muslim parents let there children do RE and they all handle Jewish artifacts and try on clothes if they want. They nearly all take part in the nativity (one sat out last year v 4 atheists) the mums and dads come as do granny's, especially if their child gets a good role like Mary. More muslims don't attend the easter service as it's an actual service in a cathedral. But several muslim parents walk the children there as parent helpers and sit with the Muslim children so they can watch but not take part.

Forcing young children to take part in supernatural rituals normalizes religion. Before you know it we will be living in Trumps America.

My tuppence worth as an agnostic mother of kids in a catholic school. I think playing at prayer is disrespectful. However not all play acting religious stuff is. My kids for example have all at primary school gone to church and explored baptism. Kids from the class have taken the places of parents and god parents with a doll while the priest talked them through the roles. Role play and learning, a great way to learn. But the difference is that at no point did they do a real ceremony and at no point were the children expected to say the phrases etc. I would be perfectly happy for them to do similar for any other religion but prayer is sacred and should not be taken lightly or imitated.

ChrisYoung
What do you mean schools that are not allowed to teach Christianity?
Factual evidence please?

I sometimes wonder how So many of us are so ready to pick on things that matter so little in the real world.
OP NOT following any religion is a ideology too in itself. I would love to see my children getting exposure to that and all the religions. Like other posters said, the sooner they realise that peaceful ideologies can coexist, the better.

Booshbeesh

You are choosing to be confrontational, ignore the posts explaining things and interpreting the whole thread your own way.

Why are you trying to provoke arguments that way? Are you a troll trying to stir up anti-muslim nonsense by being so disrespectful and argumentative? Your fake smugness, fake open-mindness and passive aggressive comments are very sad.