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：
伊斯兰教
据估计，全世界穆斯林人数超过10亿，伊斯兰教是仅次于基督教的最大宗教团体。阿拉伯语 "伊斯兰"（ismlam）一词的意思是自愿承认并积极服从独一真主安拉（Allah）的指导命令。伊斯兰教的传统或 "训诫"（这个词表达了与伊斯兰教密切相关的服从之意）是建立在《古兰经》中真主的指导性命令之上的。穆斯林认为《古兰经》是真主传给真主选派的使者穆罕默德的圣言。这两座城市都位于今天的沙特阿拉伯，被所有穆斯林视为其信仰的中心圣地。
穆斯林每天必须在五个指定时间进行正式祈祷：日出、正午、午后、日落和夜幕降临后。清真寺是伊斯兰教的公共礼拜场所。如果清真寺太远，穆斯林可以在自己家中或其他地方，在专用的祈祷毯或垫子上祈祷。他在祈祷中的每一句话都会采取正式的姿势，直到他向麦加的方向完全跪拜。麦加是穆斯林的圣城和崇拜中心。这不仅因为麦加是穆罕默德的出生地，还因为这里有最神圣的圣地卡巴和黑石。据说，卡巴是亚伯拉罕建造的，而黑石则是亚当从天堂带出来的。每年都有无数朝圣者前往麦加朝拜。因此，英语中出现了 "麦加 "一词，意思是 "人们向往的地方"。
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：
伊斯兰教
据估计，全世界穆斯林人数超过10亿，伊斯兰教是仅次于基督教的最大宗教团体。阿拉伯语 "伊斯兰"（ismlam）一词的意思是自愿承认并积极服从独一真主安拉（Allah）的指导命令。伊斯兰教的传统或 "训诫"（这个词表达了与伊斯兰教密切相关的服从之意）是建立在《古兰经》中真主的指导性命令之上的。穆斯林认为《古兰经》是真主传给真主选派的使者穆罕默德的圣言。这两座城市都位于今天的沙特阿拉伯，被所有穆斯林视为其信仰的中心圣地。
穆斯林每天必须在五个指定时间进行正式祈祷：日出、正午、午后、日落和夜幕降临后。清真寺是伊斯兰教的公共礼拜场所。如果清真寺太远，穆斯林可以在自己家中或其他地方，在专用的祈祷毯或垫子上祈祷。他在祈祷中的每一句话都会采取正式的姿势，直到他向麦加的方向完全跪拜。麦加是穆斯林的圣城和崇拜中心。这不仅因为麦加是穆罕默德的出生地，还因为这里有最神圣的圣地卡巴和黑石。据说，卡巴是亚伯拉罕建造的，而黑石则是亚当从天堂带出来的。每年都有无数朝圣者前往麦加朝拜。因此，英语中出现了 "麦加 "一词，意思是 "人们向往的地方"。
