This week, a campus organization is trying to make attending Islamic prayer services simpler for UK students.

During Islamic Awareness Week 2009, the Muslim Student Association invites all UK students to experience how Muslims perform their prayers at the Islamic Center of Lexington.

The local Muslim temple, or a mosque, is located at 649 S. Limestone, across from the UK College of Law. Students are welcome to attend the sunset prayer at 6:30 p.m. before the scheduled Islamic Awareness events occurring this week.

Muslims pray five times a day, but are not required to attend the mosque for all of them. The majority of Muslims participate in the Friday congregational prayer at midday, when all Islamic men are required to attend.

“There are usually 150 people that come here (on Fridays), and quite a few students,” Aun Munis, president of MSA, said of the Islamic Center of Lexington.

At 1:30 p.m., students are also invited to attend the congregational Friday prayer at Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah, a larger mosque located at 1545 Russell Cave Road. Friday’s prayer will include the weekly sermon, which is presented in English.

“Just like other religions’ holy days are on Sundays and Saturdays, ours is on Friday,” Munis said. ”We have our sermon every Friday, and community prayer afterwards … It’s a chance for people to come out and see how Muslims in our community pray.”

The Islamic Center of Lexington was purchased as a house by the Muslim Student Association in the 1970s and has since been renovated into a mosque, ideal for students to visit between classes.

In the past few months, the center has undergone more renovations, including wall removal to create more space, new carpet and a renovated upper level for female worshippers.

During the prayer, the participants imitate the imam, or the officiating leader, who recites the prayer. Everyone is in a constant motion that consists of kneeling, standing, bending or placing their forehead to the floor. All the while, the participants listen to the imam and either pray silently or whisper prayers to themselves.

“Coming to the mosque (for the first time) can be daunting for someone who might not know what goes on,” Munis said. ”It takes a lot of effort and courage to come to one.”