1

Vladimir Puskovitch

Religion in the United States

Professor Tim Jones

10/14/23

I decided to embrace the technological side of modern religious practice, and watched a

live-streamed prayer service hosted by Masjid Muhammad, or “The Nation’s Masjid (Mosque),”

in Washington D.C. The global reach of technology has transformed the way individuals engage

with religious traditions, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual meetings, facilitated

by digital platforms, have become more common and accessible for people around the world.

This paper discusses the unique opportunity I had that explored Islamic religious tradition

through a virtual meeting. By participating in virtual Islamic prayer meetings, individuals can

gain a deeper understanding of the religious practices, beliefs, and community life, despite

physical limitations.

The Islamic religious tradition is rich and diverse, with a strong emphasis on community,

prayer, and the study of the Quran, and before discussing my experience I would like to discuss

some of the basic foundational beliefs of Islam. At a very basic level, it is important to note that

in Islam there is one God, and Muhammad is the prophet or messenger of God. According to the

PBS Teacher’s Guide article “Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims,” there are some other basic

beliefs that revolve around the belief in Angels, as well as the belief in the various texts of God.

Those given to Mohammad (the Quran), Moses (the Torah), Jesus (the Gospel), David (the

Psalms), and Abraham (the Scrolls). With the belief in these texts however, Muslims believe that
 2

the Quran “remains as it were revealed to the prophet Mohammad.” In addition to these beliefs,

the 5 Pillars of Islam are also key concepts to understand about the Islamic faith. The first is the

recitation of the shahada, which can translate to “There is no deity except God and Muhammad

is the messenger of God,” and is repeated multiple times throughout prayer services. The second

is that there is prayer 5 times a day, at dawn, noon, late afternoon, sunset, and then another at

night. This prayer can take place anywhere, but is to be done in the direction of Mecca. The third

is to fast during Ramadan, which is the month in which Muhammad received his first revelation.

The fourth is to give alms, specifically in which “one is to give 2.5% of one’s death annually to

help the poor” (Powerpoint 7b Islam). The last pillar is that all who are able to, should make the

pilgrimage to the Ka’ba in Mecca at least once during their lifetime. The only two pillars that I

could identify during the service I went to were that of the first and second, which specifically

relate to prayer.

As I had no experience with the Islamic faith prior to this service, I asked a Muslim

friend of mine to attend the livestream with me, to provide some guidance during the verses and

answer some questions. They told me that I should be prepared to move around slightly during

the service, as although we were not in the physical mosque, the physical positions one takes

should still be practiced. Physical presence of a mosque and congregation is traditional, but

virtual meetings have been adapted to try and keep some aspects the same, including an imam

leading the prayer, which enables participants to follow along as they would in a physical

mosque. Before the service, we laid two towels out onto the ground for us to place ourselves

prostrate as well as to sit upon during different parts of the service.

 3

The service began with the recitation of the shahada, to declare ones intent to worship

Allah, and then moved shortly into us raising our hands to our shoulders and saying “Allahu

Akbar” (meaning God is the Greatest), which indicates the official start of the prayer. We started

the service standing as verses from the Quran were read aloud, and then began bowing as we

recited a chant, giving glory to God “the most great.” We then laid prostrate during another chant

recitation, again giving glory to God, but this time “the most high.” After this we sat in a brief

period of reflection, before going prostrate again and reciting the first chant. Following this we

sat as the imam led us in the final part of the service, reciting the tashahhud, which identifies

Allah as the one true God and Muhammad is his prophet. There was then a salutation given by

the imam which, although I do not know what it meant, I believe is somewhat equivalent to

telling your neighbors “peace be with you” following a Eucharist.

While I found this experience very enlightening, it's essential to acknowledge the

limitations of virtual prayer. The physicality and sensory experience of a mosque, including the

recitation of the Quran, the call to prayer, and the collective ambiance, cannot be fully replicated

in the virtual world. These meetings offer convenience, but they may lack the spiritual depth and

connection that come with the presence of a physical congregation.

Virtual meetings have become a vital tool for experiencing religious services, and

specifically has made the Islamic religious tradition more accessible. They offer a bridge to

understanding Islam, enabling inclusivity, prayer and worship. However, it is important to

recognize that virtual services are not without limitations and challenges. But, as technology

continues to evolve, so too will the opportunities for individuals to engage with the Islamic
 4

tradition, and this should be embraced to allow oneself to learn more about the beliefs of other

humans with whom we share the planet.

Works Cited

“Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 2014, www.pbs.org

wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/beliefs.html.

“Masjid Muhammad: Jumah Stream.” Majid Muhammad The Nation’s Mosque, 2 Oct. 2021,

thenationsmosque.org/.