VOA标准英语2011--Muslim-American Children Make Mock Pilgrimage to Mecca

Muslim-American Children Make Mock¹ Pilgrimage to Mecca

 

More than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world have gathered in Mecca for the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, which begins later this week.

At a Washington area mosque², American Muslim children learn about this pillar³ of their faith in a fun way.

"You guys say it, nebayk Allah ..."

Hafsa Abdelrahman leads the children of the Dar Al-Hijrah weekend school into a mock-up of the Muslim holy city Mecca. They circle the Kaaba shrine⁴. They do it again, and again, and again.

It's just the first part of a multi-stage ritual⁵ that in real life takes five to six days to complete.

"We take them through every step just as if they're [going through it]. Their parents come also because they get a chance to learn about the steps, and we teach them all the steps, the historical significance, the background story, everything that goes with it," said Abdelrahman.

"You're going to start in Safa, you're going to walk to Marwa, and you're going to come back and you're going to do it seven times," she said.

Abdelrahman went on a true Hajj as a teenager.

Hafsa Abdelrahman leads the children of the Dar Al-Hijrah weekend school in Falls Church, Virginia, into a mock-up of the Muslim holy city Mecca, October 2011.

"And I can really say that it changed my life, completely changed my life. I had the chance for the first time - here in the U.S. being a Muslim and being covered - you're a minority. But for the first time, when you're in Hajj, you're surrounded by thousands of men and women from all over the world that are dressed like you, and you no longer feel like an outsider," said Abdelrahman.

The children of this Islamic school have spent several weekends on projects like this to recreate Mecca in this mosque. So their excitement is perhaps understandable.

They visit the tent city, and stone the pillar that represents the devil⁶.

Abdelrahman said few of these children have actually made the journey.

"And so I think it's really important for them to get a chance to see it here. And hopefully from these activities will build a love within them that they will strive⁷, they'll save up the money, they'll do everything that it takes, so that they do end up performing the Hajj," she said.

And no doubt they will take with them sweet memories of their first make-believe Hajj.

1 mock   

n.嘲笑，戏弄，模仿；adj.假的，伪造的；vt.嘲弄，模仿，轻视；vi.嘲弄

参考例句：

• Those who mock history will be mocked by history.嘲弄历史的人必将被历史所嘲弄。
• The students have done mock A levels at school.学生们在学校参加过模拟高级考试。

2 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

3 pillar   

n.柱子，柱状物；有力的支持者；栋梁

参考例句：

• He was a pillar of the club for over thirty years.30多年来他一直是这个俱乐部的顶梁柱。
• I fell asleep against a pillar.我靠在一根柱子上睡着了。

4 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

5 ritual   

adj.例行的，老规矩的，惯常的

参考例句：

• This was the monthly ritual.这是每月一次的例规。
• I realized that here the conventions required me to make the ritual noises.我意识到此时按照惯例我应该说些客套话。

6 devil   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• It is easier to raise the devil than to lay him.召鬼容易驱鬼难。
• Susie,you're a determined little devil.苏茜，你真是个坚决的小家伙。

7 strive   

vi.努力，奋斗，力争

参考例句：

• Don't strive merely for quantity of production.在生产中不要单纯地追求数量。
• The scientists strive for a breakthrough in cancer research.科学家们力争在癌症研究方面有个突破。