Omar Rabb stood Sunday morning in the parish hall at Christ Episcopal Church and raised his hands to his ears before singing out in Arabic that Allah is the greatest.

Ordinarily, the muezzin, or the man appointed to call the faithful to prayer, would stand in the courtyard of the mosque or in a minaret, a type of tower used in Islamic architecture.

Rabb's resonating voice was an unusual experience for about 40 people listening inside the Christian hall. It's part of an interfaith dialogue that seeks to erase barriers between Islam and Christianity.

Rabb and other members of the Clarence Sabree Islamic Center in Roanoke, including Imam Ibrahim Hamidullah, have teamed up with the Rev. Jan Fuller, the chaplain and religious studies professor at Hollins University, to lead a six-week lecture series on the Muslim faith.

Fuller, who attends Christ Episcopal Church, said she broached the lecture series as a way of fostering mutual understanding, conversation and respect.

Many of the forum participants said it has given them a broader context to news of religious clashes in Iraq, the Middle East and elsewhere.

Caroline Bloodworth of Roanoke said she has attended all of the lectures so far and plans to show up at the remaining two sessions.

"I came here not knowing anything about Islam and wanted to be better educated. My eyes have been opened," Bloodworth said. "This series has given me a deeper respect for the Muslim community."

Fuller draws from experiences in her own life, growing up in Lebanon and Jordan as the daughter of Southern Baptist missionaries. The classes, which are open to the public, discuss the life of Muhammad, Islamic prayer, the role of women in Muslim society and the Quran.

Fuller and Hamidullah explained the history and significance of the Muslim's sacred text of the Quran, which means revelation, and drew comparisons with the Torah and the Bible. Many Muslims use the Quran for "guidance, inspiration and wisdom," Fuller said.

Typically, a muezzin will cup his ears while affirming the presence of Allah in his call.

"That act is a physical act of listening -- come and hear," Fuller said. "At the beginnings of the prayers, most of the people praying would cup their ears as a sign of hearing God."

The Quran is written in Arabic and is divided into 114 surahs, or chapters. The five daily prayers are spoken in Arabic and timed to sunrise and sunset. These days the call to prayer is often broadcast outdoors in Muslim countries.

"In a village, there may be seven to eight mosques, and you would hear [the call] all around you," Fuller said. "It is a wonderful, powerful sound."

"A lot of people have come up and asked me personal questions," Hamidullah said after the lecture. "They are very receptive."

Hamidullah leads a local group of 15 to 20 Muslims who follow the orthodox teachings of W. Deen Mohammed, the spiritual leader of the American Society of Muslims. They worship in rented space at the Crystal Tower Building on Campbell Avenue.

Rabb said the Islamic Center also has held discussions with congregants at Temple Emanuel. They hope to be invited to other churches and synagogues in the Roanoke Valley.

Roanoke County resident Will Craft, 18, said he attended the lecture because he's curious about Islam and was interested in hearing the imam. He's attended three of the four lectures as part of his Sunday school class.

"I've learned, despite what people think, we're looking for the same things like happiness and prosperity," Craft said. "It's sad the stereotypes in the Middle East alienate people from learning about other religions."

The Rev. Deborah Hentz Hunley of Christ Episcopal said the series has had high attendance: "Obviously, people are eager to learn more about Islam."

The final two lectures, which start at 9:30 a.m., will cover women and gender issues in Islamic cultures on Feb. 11 and wrap up with religion, nationalism and politics on Feb. 18.