Islam

　　The number of Muslims worldwide is estimated to bein excess of one billion, making Islam the largestfaith community after Christianity. Of this numberthe overwhelming majority would identifythemselves as Sunni2 Muslims whilst about 15 percent follow a variety of Shiah3 Muslim persuasions.The Arabic word islam means the willingrecognition of and active submission to the guiding command of the One God, Allah4.Whoever acts in this manner is called a muslim, one who acknowledges and submits to the sole, unique God. The Islamic tradition or din( a word which conveys the sense of obedienceclosely related to islam ) is founded upon the guiding command of Allah as contained in theKoran5 . Muslims hold the Koran to be the word of God delivered to Muhammad6, God’s electedmessenger. The revelations were received in just over a twenty-year period , first in Mecca7 ,the Prophet’s birthplace , and later in Medina8 where the first community was established.Both these cities are in present day Saudi Arabia and are regarded by all Muslims as the centralholy places of their faith.

　　A Muslim must make formal prayers each day at five appointed times: at daybreak, at noon, inmidafternoon, at sunset and after nightfall. The mosque is the place of public worship in Islam.If a mosque is too far away, a Muslim may pray in his own home or elsewhere on a specialprayer rug or mat. He takes formal postures for each statement in the prayer, until heachieves full prostration in the direction of Mecca. Mecca is the holy city and the center ofworship for Muslims. It is not only because Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad, but alsobecause there exist the Kaaba 9— the holiest shrine, and the Black Stone. It is believed thatthe Kaaba was built by Abraham and the Stone was brought out of Paradise by Adam. Everyyear numerous pilgrims go to Mecca to pay homage. Thus the word“Mecca”has come intoEnglish language, meaning“place one aspires to visit”

　　阅读自测

　　Ⅰ. Are the sestatements True or False according to the article ?

　　1. Shiah is the biggest sect of Islam.

　　2. Muhammad founded the religion of Islam and he was the messenger of Allah.

　　3. Every Muslim must go to mosque every day to say his prayers. )

　　Ⅱ. Translate the Chinese into English , using the word or phrase in paren theses :

　　1. 花钱切勿超过你的收入。( in excess of) 2. 他拒绝服从不公正的决定。( submit to) 3. 我们对莎士比亚的天才表示敬仰。( pay homage to)

　　参考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. F 2. T 3 . F

　　Ⅱ. 1. Never spend in excess of your income. 2. Herefused to submit to an unjust decision. 3. We payhomage to the genius of Shakespeare.

　　参考译文

　　基督教

　　伊斯兰教世 界各地的穆斯林加起来总数估计超过十亿, 这个数量使伊斯兰教成为基督教之后世 界第二大宗教组织。伊斯兰教中绝大多数人认为自己是逊尼派教徒, 而约15% 的伊斯兰 教徒则归属于各种什叶穆斯林宗派。阿拉伯语中islam 这个词意为对唯一的神——— 真主的 统率的主动认可和主动顺从。承认并顺从这个至高无上的神的人就被称为穆斯林。伊斯 兰教的传统, 或称为din ( 该词表达的顺从的意思与islam 的意思紧密相关) , 是基于真主的 统率而建立的, 全部写在《可兰经》里。穆斯林认为《可兰经》是上帝传达给穆罕默德的旨 意, 穆罕默德是上帝的使者。真主将他的旨意传给穆罕默德只用了二十多年的时间, 先是 在麦加, 麦加是这位先知的出生地, 后来又在麦地那, 穆罕默德在那里创立了第一个教派。 现在这两座城市都属于沙特阿拉伯, 它们已成为所有穆斯林心中最神圣的地方。

　　穆斯林每天要在五个指定的时间做正式祷告: 黎明、中午、下午3 点左右、黄昏和夜里。 清真寺是伊斯兰教徒集体做礼拜的地方。如果清真寺离自己太远, 那么穆斯林可以在家里 或其他地方站在一种专门用来祷告的特制地毯或垫子上进行祷告。穆斯林祷告时每说一 句话都要作出一些正式的姿势, 直到面向麦加完全拜倒在地为止。对穆斯林来说, 麦加是 神圣的城市, 是他们朝拜的中心。这不仅因为麦加是穆罕默德出生的地方, 还因为那里有 最神圣的圣堂——— 天房和神圣黑石。穆斯林相信天房是由亚伯拉罕建造的, 而神圣黑石则 是由亚当从伊甸园里搬来的。每年都有众多的朝圣者去麦加朝拜。因此,“ 麦加”这个词 后来就被收入英语, 引申为“ 人们渴望拜访的地方。