The Sulu Archipelago and its people, by Sixto Y. Orosa ...

80 SILU ARCHIIELAGO AND ITS PEOPLE

A goup of devout Mohammedan women inside the mosque

In the latter part of 1917, a mosque was completed
in Jolo. The interior is very sinple, in compliance
with a fundatmental Mohammedan principle. Mohammed forbade the use of images of any kind within
a mosque, his purpose being to prevent the corruption
of his teachings, which required the worship of one
invisible God
Before eating, the Mohainmledans say "Bismillah,"
meaning "in the name of the most merciful God"; and
after eating they say, "Thank you, God, for what you
have given." Before a cow or even a chicken may be
slaughtered prayers have to be said, preferably by an
imam, or a priest. This is why the Mohamnmedans do
not buy meat in the common market.
Before sleeping, the devout Mohanmmedan beseeches
God's pardon for his sins, and even before taking a
bath he says a prayer, the prayer differing according
to the day of the week on which the bath is taken.