This study presents the assessment of the quality of speech intelligibility of two Malaysian mosques and the results are used to develop a set of general acoustical guidelines to be used in the design of a mosque. Two mosques were selected for the research: Masjid UPM and the Masjid Jamek. The objective of the research is to enable the comparison of the acoustics and speech intelligibility betw...

How do L2 learners cope with L2 accent variation? We developed predictions based upon the Perceptual Assimilation Model-L2 (PAM-L2) and tested them in an eye-tracking experiment using the visual world paradigm. L2-English learners in Australia with Chinese L1 were presented with words spoken in familiar Australian-accented English (AusE), and two unfamiliar accents: Jamaican Mesolect English (J...

Mosque design, globally, has evolved considerably from being very simple design and functional, to more sophisticated forms and layout and recently being very monumental. Its function; however, remain the same, not only as a place for prostrations, but more so as a community centre and a symbol of Islam. Basic elements and spaces such as prayer hall, ablution, minaret, minbar and mihrab; for ex...

Second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure is high among UK Bangladeshi and Pakistani populations, reflecting higher male smoking prevalence and fewer home smoking restrictions than the general population. The Muslim Communities Learning About Second-hand Smoke (MCLASS) study explored the feasibility and acceptability of implementing SHS education in 14 UK mosques. Religious teachers (RTs) in seven inter...

BACKGROUND Muslims comprise 4.8% of the national population in the UK and also form a significant proportion of its ethnic minority population, with trends set to continue for the foreseeable future. With ethnic minority health inequalities deepening further, there is an apparent lack of strategies to effectively tackle this growing problem. Imams, Muslim religious leaders, represent a hitherto...