great post.
British Muslim suicide bombers Ashif Muhahmmad Hanif, 22 (R) and Omar Khan Sharif, 27 (L) are seen as they pose with AK 47 rifles in a frame grab taken from a videotape handed out by Hamas March 8, 2004, nearly a year after their deaths. The 22-year-old Briton of Pakistani descent blew himself up at Mike's Place, a jazz club on Tel Aviv's beach promenade, on April 30, 2003, killing three people in an attack claimed by Hamas. Hanif's partner in the attack, 27-year-old Sharif, attempted to detonate his bomb, but failed, then fled the scene. His body later washed ashore on the Tel Aviv beach. al-REUTERS/ HO/ Hamas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/worship/prayer_prep.shtml
The BBC has a very nice, warm, 'inclusive' section on Islam,and you can learn ever so much!
'Before Praying Muslims go through a routine washing ritual, cleansing themselves in preparation for prayer. The ritual washing, called Wudu, can be done in any clean place where there is water. There are special rules to allow for situations when water is not available (e.g. in a desert). Before starting Wudu you "make your intention".
RealVideo of prayer preparation (2m 51s)
On entering a mosque Muslims remove their shoes.
Before Wudu you make your intention. Then start with washing the hands as far as the wrists. You perform this 3 times.
Rinse out the mouth with water using the right hand. You perform this 3 times.
Wash the nostrils by sniffing up water and blowing it out. You perform this 3 times.
Wash the face 3 times.
Wash each arm up to the elbow. You perform this 3 times.
Wipe or rub the head with the inside of the fingers. You perform this once.
Clean the inside of the ears with the index fingers and the back of the ears with the thumbs. You perform this once.
Wipe the back of the neck. You perform this once.
Wash the feet up to the ankles. You perform this 3 times.'