My object is a Janamaz (jah-na-maz). It’s a prayer mat from Bangladesh. Israel,Morocco,Yemen and other countries use it as well. They are common in every Muslim household. My aunt bought it from Bangladesh in 1990. The one that I have is green and has yellow lines, but they can come in many different colors. We use it to pray on 5 times a day. In our country we pray a lot. The first is before sunrise, around 5:30 a.m. The second one is around 1:30. The third one is around 3:00. The fourth prayer the fourth one is at sunset, around 7:45. The last prayer is around 9:00. When we pray you we have to pray on a clean surface and so when u pray u lay the Janamaz on the floor facing the Qibla. Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba (the sacred building at Mecca),to which Muslims turn at prayer. The Janamaz is a rug but softer and smaller. I chose the Janamaz because it tells someone about our religion and culture. It is important to our family because we use it to pray on every day. In Bangladesh and other counties,the floor is made of dirt so people took a rug and cut it and used it to pray on. When people pray they talk to Allah. (Allah is god). They say Sura’s from the holy Quran. Sura’s are Allah’s sayings. They are in Arabic. We pray to Allah to go to heaven. Many religions and cultures pray in a variety of ways. I think the way in which we pray is special and unique. I cherish our culture and our religion.

– Nazmul

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant