islam in the world final

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Adopt the World: learn about it!

Islam in the World 2008

Miami Initiative or Global Enrichment

This publication was produced for the University of Miami-Masterof Arts in International Administration (MAIA) in joint cooperationwith the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Authors:Grant BrownIngrid Navas

Giuliano Speziani

John Valvo

Editors:Marsha B. Cohen, Ph.D.

Samantha A. Reynolds

Table of Contents


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Adopt the World: learn about it! www.MAIAProgram.org

2Islam in the World

Miami Initiative for Global Enrichment

This publication was produced for the University of Miami-Master of Arts in International Administration (MAIA) in joint cooperation with

the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Copyright Pending 2009


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3Islam in the World


Religion: Why learn about it? ................................... 4

Major Religions Around the World: ......................... 6

Origins of Islam ......................................................... 7

Beliefs and Practices ............................................... 10

Shariah ................................................................ 10

Quran ................................................................. 10

Prophets ............................................................. 10

Five Pillars of Islam ............................................. 11

The Shahada : declaration of faith .................. 11

Salat ................................................................ 13

Zakat ............................................................... 13

Sawm .............................................................. 13

Hajj .................................................................. 14

Clothing............................................................... 14

Dietary laws ........................................................ 15

Jihad .................................................................... 15

Muslim Holidays ..................................................... 16

The Islamic Calendar ........................................... 16

Muharram: the Muslim New Year ..................... 16

Ashura ................................................................. 16

Mawlid an-Nabi .................................................. 17

Isra Mer'Aj .......................................................... 17

Ramadan ............................................................. 17

Eid-Al-Fitr ........................................................... 17

Eid-Al-Adha ........................................................ 17

Diversity within Islam ............................................ 18

Sunnis................................................................. 18

Shiism ................................................................ 19

Sufism ................................................................ 20

Ibadiyya .............................................................. 20

Muslim Diversity ................................................ 20

Islam in the World ................................................. 21

Glossary ................................................................. 21

Electronic Resources .............................................. 21

Miami Initiative for Global Enrichment -MiGlobE 21

References ............................................................. 21

Table of Contents
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4Islam in the World


The United States is a magnet for people of different beliefs and cultures, where they can livetogether without surrendering their traditions andidentity. It is not just a melting pot where all

differences disappear. Our country prides itself onaccepting people of all religions and backgrounds. TheUnited States is a secular nation, which means thatgovernment and religious institutions dont interfere

with one another. The first amendment to thefoundation of our society, the U.S. Constitution,which is part of the Bill of Rights, states,Congress shall make no law respecting an

establishment of religion, or prohibitingthe free exercise thereof. 1

Americans are free to choosewhichever religion they want follow,if any. Surprisingly, the UnitedStates is home to more thanseventeen different religions. 2 With that in mind, it is essential tolearn about religious differences inour society. It is important torecognize and respect the differentperspectives of others, especially since welive in a very diverse country .3

What is religion exactly? Religions, broadly

defined, are belief systems that try to explain themeaning of human existence and the place of humanbeings in the world. Religions provide rules about howpeople should behave towards one another, and how toobserve the rituals which are performed on holidays andat life cycle events birth, coming of age, marriage, and

even death. Some religions have rules that tell theirfollowers what foods to eat and not eat and specifycert ain days, called fasts when they should not eat atall. Some religions even have rules about what to wear.These rules are often based on or derived from passagesfound in sacred texts, while others are based ontraditions which have been passed on from onegeneration to another for hundreds of years. Mostreligions tell their followers when and where to pray, and

what to say when they do. Many religions provideplaces of worship where their followers can

gather together for study, prayer andrituals.

Religions have playedimportant roles in the shaping of

human history. Religion is oftenconsidered a private matter, atopic that should not be discussedoutside of ones home. But since

religion a matter of beliefs butabout rules that, for many people,influence everyday living, it is notsurprising that religion is not

something invisible or hidden away butrather very much in evidence in our society.

When you drive down the street you see

different houses of worship--churches, synagogues,temples and mosques. You may have friends who wearreligious symbols or head- coverings that you dontunderstand the meaning of, who may not come to schoolon certain holidays youve never heard of, or dont eat

certain foods you offer them. Because the U.S. is a

Religion: Why learn about it?


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5Islam in the World


secular society, there is a strong possibility that you willencounter a person who practices Islam. Islam is thesecond largest religion in the world and many reside inthe U.S.

The word Islam comes from the same root as theArabic word for peace ( salaam ). It means a strongcommitment to God ( Allah the Arabic word for God)or, according to some Muslim theologians, attaining

peace through commitment to Gods will. 4 Followers of Islam are known as Muslims .

Islam is a monotheistic, revealed religion, withhistorical links to Judaism and Christianity, 5 with whom itshares some common sources of tradition. SometimesMuslims are referred to as Muhammedans, whichimplies that Muslims worship Muhammad. Muslims donot consider Muhammad to be God, but rather the lastand greatest of the Prophets and Gods messenger to all

humanity.

This unit will explain some of major Islamic beliefsand practices, and a few of the various interpretations of what it means to be a Muslim. We will explore thehistory, the major divisions, as well as the mostimportant holidays. For true interfaith respect andunderstanding to be possible, it is important not only tolearn about the concepts and customs of minority

religions, but to learn about the history, evolution anddiversity of Islam.

Lets find out more

Islam in the U.S.

The Islamic Center of America opened in 2005 and is the largest mosques in theUnited States. It is located in Dearborn,

Michigan.

More information about this mosque can be found at: www.icofa.com

Religion: Why learn about it?
http://www.icofa.com/http://www.icofa.com/http://www.icofa.com/http://www.icofa.com/


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6Islam in the World


With over a billion followers-- a fifth of the worldspopulation 6-- Islam is the second largest religion in theworld next to Christianity. 7 It is the secondlargest religion in Europe and Canada andthe third largest in the United States. 8 This1,400 year old religion represents a vastrange of human experience because it ispracticed by so many people in so manycountries.

There are Muslim majorities orsignificant Muslim minorities in 57countries around the world. 11 The worlds

five largest Muslim communities are found

in Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria.Although Arabic is the language of the Quran and of

most Muslim religious texts, only about 20% of Muslims speak Arabic. 12

Islam is the worlds faste st growingreligion, and some estimates predict it willhave more followers than Christianitywithin the next two decades. 13 At least40,000 Muslims live in Miami-Dade County,20,000 in Broward County and 10,000 inPalm Beach County. 14

Major World Religions

Christianity 2.1 billionIslam 1.3 billionHinduism 851 millionBuddhism 375 million

Sikhism 24 millionJudaism 14 million

*The figures above are a collectiverepresentation from various

sources and are estimates. 910

Major Religions Around the World: Where is Islam?


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7Islam in the World


Islam originated in Arabia in the early seventhcentury CE. The region was tribal and the people werelargely pagan. 15 Muhammad ibn Abdallah was bornaround 570 in the city of Mecca (Makkah). 16 He was amember of the Quraysh tribe. Mecca was a culturalcenter on the major trading route linking Africa to Asia,The members of the Quraysh tribe were traders andmerchants. 17 Muhammads parents died when he was achild. He was raised by his grandfather and, after hisgrandfathers death, by his uncle, Abu Talib. Muhammad

became a merchant. When Muhammad was around 25years old, he married a wealthy widowedbusinesswoman named Khadijah, 18 who was impressedby Muhammads honesty in handling her business

transactions. They had four children--two sons and fourdaughters--but only the girls survived. 19

Gabriel appears to Muhammad

Muhammad would sometimes meditate inisolation at Mount Hira near Mecca. 20 In the month of Ramadan, around 610 CE, when he was around 40 yearsold (in Muslim tradition, the age of spiritual maturity),Muhammad began hearing voices and seeing visions.The voice of the angel Gabriel told him to recitemessages from God. These messages were later written

down by his followers, and became the Quran (sometimes spelled Koran ).21

Muhammad began preaching these messages tohis family and friends and he gained followers. However,most of the Quraysh and other tribes of Mecca werehostile to his teachings. To escape persecution, he andhis followers fled north to Yathrib in 622 CE. This historicevent, the Hijrah , marks the beginning of the Islamiccalendar. 22

In Yathrib, Muhammad became the leader of the first Muslim community, with military, political, andreligious authority. 23 Yathrib became known as the Cityof the Prophet ( Madinat al-Nabiy ) and then simply asthe City,( Madinah/ Medina).

Did You Know Muslims, like Jews, prefer not to date historical

events as taking place BC (before Christ) or AD afterChrist in the year of our Lord ). When referring tohistorical events, they prefer to use the religiouslyneutral designations BCE (before the Common Era) andCE (Common Era instead).

Muslim scholars also date historical eventsaccording to Islamic chronology and the Muslimcalendar. The reference point for Islamic dating of events is the first day of the month of Muharram, 1 AH(July 26, 622 CE). Events are dated according to thenumber of years they took place before or after the yearof the Prophet Muhammads Hijira from Mecca toMedina (BH=before Hijira , AH=after Hijira).

Origins of Islam


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8Islam in the World


Medina became the first Islamic capital. Medinaand Mecca would become sacred cities of Islam as itspread throughout western Arabia. 24 By the time of Muhammads death in 632 CE, the Islamic community

(ummah ) included nearly all of the Arabian Peninsula.

After Muhammad died, the community wasfaced with the problem of who should succeed him asleader. Arguments about whether or not Muhammadhad chosen a successor and who it should be divided theummah . These arguments would lead to the splitbetween Sunnis and Shiites. Four of Muhammads closest companions would lead the community for thenext thirty years: his father-in-law, Abu Bakr (632-634);Umar (634-644), Uthman (644-656) and his son-in-lawAli (656 -661). There were many disagreements withinthe community, and changes from one leader to anotherdid not always go smoothly. Three of the four rightlyguided caliphs ( al-Khulafa-ur Rashidun ) died violentdeaths.

The last of the rightly guided caliphs, Ali waskilled in a civil war (known as the fitna ). Mu'awiyah, arelative of Uthman who had fought agai nst Ali and hissupporters, became the first caliph of the Umayyaddynasty, which lasted from 661-760. During this time theArab empire of the Umayyads expanded its territorybeyond Arabia to the north, including present day Syria

and Iraq, east to Iran, Afghanistan and northern India,and west into Palestine and northern Africa, Spain, andPortugal. The Umayyad capital was in Damascus, which

is the capital of modern day Syria. The fifth Umayyadcaliph, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (685 705) built theDome of the Rock in Jerusalem, making it the thirdholiest city of Islam.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel

At first the Umayyads encouraged conversion toIslam in the territories that they conquered. Non-Muslims living in Muslim-conquered territories had topay special taxes ( jiziyah and kharaj ). The Umayyads didnot want to lose this source of revenue, so they graduallyrelaxed the pressure to convert. 25

Origins of Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Malikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Malik


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9Islam in the World


The Abbasid dynasty (75 8-1030), came topower with the support of non-Arab Muslims. SomeUmayyad rulers had made non-Arab Muslims paythe same jiziyah and kharaj taxes that non-Muslimshad to pay. Non-Arabs resented Arab claims thatthey were superior because they had adopted Islamfirst. When the Abbasids took over, the Umayyadsmoved to Spain, where they established a caliphatein 929 CE that ruled for 300 years.

The Abbasids encouraged conversion toIslam, and Islam became the main religion in theMiddle East, throughout all of North Africa andparts of east Africa, Persia, Central and southwestAsia, and India. The Abbasid empire wasprosperous and powerful. Its capital was Baghdad,which is also the capital of modern Iraq. Shiite

rebellions weakened the Abassids, and their empirebegan to crumble. For the next five hundred years,the Muslim world was no longer an empire with acentral ruling authority. Political power wasdivided among many local rulers.

The Ottomans were the third great Muslimempire. They ruled from 1500 to 1924. Althoughthe Ottoman Empire was smaller in geography thanthe Abbasid empire, it spread into Eastern Europe

and was one of the most powerful states in the

western world. These three dynasties, along withother regional dynasties, helped spread Islamthrough most of the Africa, Asian and Europeancontinents. 26

Ottoman Empire

The Spread of Islam

Origins of Islam


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10Islam in the World


Muslims believe in striving for goodness, piety,and social justice. They learn these from the Islamic wayof living, known as Shariah , the Quran (the sacred text of Islam) and from, the teachings and examples of theprophets, especially the Prophet Muhammad. They alsobelieve in the five pillars of Islam and follow certaindietary and clothing requirements.

Shariah

Shariah means the path leading to the watersource in Arabic . It is a code of law and a custom thatgives rules for all aspects of daily living includingbusiness, contracts, marriage, family, social issues, dietand even hygiene. The interpretations and ways of enforcing Shariah differ among Muslim societies andcommunities, based upon the place, the culture, and the

religious scholars who interpret the laws.27

Muslim religious scholars have developedShariah from two main sources: the Sunnah and theHadiths . Sunnah means path or way in Arabic , andrefers to the actions and practices of Muhammad. TheSunnah has its roots in the customs and way of life inancient Arabia. Hadith means report or narrative inArabic. Collected stories and sayings of Muhammad,recorded by his family and followers, are used byreligious scholars as guides for daily living or dealing with

problems facing the community. Many Hadiths havebeen collected by and can be quoted by religiousscholars. Some Hadiths are accepted as authentic andauthoritative by some Muslim religious scholars but notby others.

Quran

The Quran is the primary sacred text of Islam.The Quran is a collection of the revelations Muhammadreceived from God through Gabriel from his firstrevelation in 610 to the time of his death in 632. 28 These

revelations were wr itten by Muhammads followers afterhis death . The Quran is comprised of 114 chapters(surahs) and 6,236 verses (ayahs). 29 The word Quran comes for the Arabic word for recitation . From a veryearly age, Muslim children all over the world, learn torecite the Q uran in Arabic, the language in which Godspoke to Muhammad, with proper enunciation,inflections and intonations. It is considered a milestonewhen a Muslim is able to recite the entire Quran from

memory. 30 Even Muslims who cannot read can quote theteachings of the Quran .

Prophets

Islam is considered to be an Abrahamic religionbecause it is monotheistic that recognizes some of thekey figures and traditions of the Jewish Torah andChristian Bible as prophets. 31

Prophets are considered to be great teachers

from whom Muslims should learn lessons about how tolive their lives and to whom they should show thegreatest respect. When speaking about or referring to aprophet, it is customary to add the phrase "peace beupon him" (alayhi salaam in Arabic) after the prophets

name. According to the Quran (35:24), all of these

Beliefs and Practices


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prophets taught the same basic message of one God, andall are regarded as having been Muslims.

According to the Quran, Gods creation of theworld began with Adam, the first prophet. The names of 19 prophets of Islam are mentioned in the TaNaKh (Hebrew Bible):

Prophets of IslamAdam Ayyub (Job)Idris (Enoch) Musa (Moses)Nuh (Noah) Harun (Aaron)Ibrahim (Abraham) Dhu'l-kifl (Ezekiel)Isma'il (Ishmael) Dawud (David)Ishaq (Isaac) Sulaiman (Solomon)Lut (Lot) Ilias (Elijah)Ya'qub (Jacob) Al-Yasa (Elisha)Yousef (Joseph) Yunus (Jonah)Zakariyya (Zechariah)

Two are in the New Testament: Yahya (John)and Isa (Jesus). According to Muslim tradition, Ibrahimand his son Ismail not only were prophets, they were theancestors of the Prophet Muhammad, the last andgreatest of the prophets.

Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammadwas the last and greatest messenger of God. Hismessages from God restate and replace the messagesgiven to early prophets in Torah (Tawrah) of Moses and

the Psalms ( Zabur ) of David in Hebrew, and through theGospel ( Injil ) of Jesus in Greek. 32

Five Pillars of Islam

Religious commitment is at the core of Muslimidentity. 33 There are certain practices that a person mustdo in order to be a pious Muslim. These are called theFive Pillars of Islam. They are:

Shahada Declaration of faithSalat Prayer

Zakat Giving almsSawm Fasting during RamadanHaj j Making a pilgrimage to Mecca

The Shahada : declaration of faith

Faith ( iman ) in the oneness of God ( tawhid ) andbelieving that the Prophet Muhammad was Godsgreatest and final messenger are necessary in order to bea believing Muslim. Nothing and no one but God isallowed to be worshipped, and living according to Gods

will is the goal of human existence.

The Prophet Muhammad is the model as well asthe messenger for the Muslim way of life. Faith isexpressed by reciting the Shahadah : La ilaha illa Allah

wa-Muhammad rasul Allah (There is no god but God andMuhammad is the prophet of God). It is recited manytimes each day by Muslims who pray regularly. 34 Tobecome a Muslim, one must publicly recite these wordsin a prescribed manner.



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Salat

Salat are the daily prayers that observantMuslims recite when they pray five times a day. 35 Theseprayers include:

1. Salatul-Fajr - the early morning prayer whichmust be offered after dawn and before sunrise

2. Salatus-Zuhr - the early afternoon prayer3. Salatul-'Asr - the late afternoon prayer4. Salatul-Maghrib - the sunset prayer5. Salatul-'Isha' - the evening prayer

Wherever they are when they pray, Muslims facetoward Mecca. Many Muslims have a prayer mat onwhich they bow, kneel, and stretch out with their face on

the ground in submission; and offer their prayers.Muslims may pray in their home, a prayer room, or at amosque. In some Muslim countries, when the muezzin tell Muslims that it is time for prayer, all activities stop atprayer time. In some places, cars stop driving and peopleget out of their cars, unroll their prayer mats, and faceMecca for prayer. In non-Muslim countries, manyMuslims find a quiet room in which to discreetly pray atprayer time.

A mosque (masjid ) is a building where Muslims

gather for prayer. It also serves as a court of law, aschool for teaching, a place to provide social services,and even a forum for political discussions. Wheneverpossible, Muslims purify themselves by washing beforethey pray, so most mosques have a place for worshipersto wash their face, hands, and feet. Men and women

must be separated during Muslim prayer, so mosqueshave separate sections for men and women. 36 It isconsidered especially important to pray at a mosque onFriday.



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Zakat

Zakat (almsgiving, sometimes translated ascharity) is the financial contribution Muslims are

expected to donate to support the poor, widows andorphans, the sick and suffering, as well as students and

religious institutions. Since all wealth comes from God,Muslims are required to share it. Under Islamic law, zakat is considered to be social responsibility as well as areligious obligation. Muslims are expected to give 2.5percent of their wealth, not of their income, each year.Because giving charity is so important in Islam, begging isnot considered dishonorable. 37 However, according to asaying of the Prophet Muhammad, it is better to give zakat than to take it. 38

Sawm

Sawm is the practice of fasting during themonth of Ramadan. Observant Muslims abstain fromeating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexualrelations during the daylight hours. One of the reasonsgiven for fasting during daylight hours for an entiremonth is so that a rich person understands how a poorperson, who is always hungry, feels.

According to Muslim tradition, the fast beginswhen there is enough light to distinguish between ablack thread and a white thread, and it ends at sundown.The fast is broken by a light meal with family and friends.

Since the month of Ramadan, like other Muslimmonths, can fall during different seasons of the year, thelength of the daily fast can be a few hours longer insummer than in the winter. Travelers, people who are ill,nursing mothers, and small children are not required tofast. Muslims follow the lunar calendar, this month mayfall during different times of the year. According toMuslim belief, the sins of those who complete the fastwill be pardoned for their sins by God. 39

Muslims practice Sawm to understand how it feels to behungry and poor.



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Hajj

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Each year,more than two million Muslims travel to Mecca from allover the world to visit the place where the ProphetMuhammad was born and received his revelations fromGod. The preferred time to visit Mecca for pilgrimage isduring the month of Dhul Hijja, for celebration of the Eid al-Adha , the Festival of Sacrifice.

Inside Mecca is the black cube-shaped stoneshrine called the Kaba h, which, according to Muslimtradition, was originally built by Adam, rebuilt byAbraham, and dedicated to God by the Prophet.However, when pilgrims arrive in Mecca, they must walkfrom the outskirts of the city to t he Kabah. Pilgrims,both men and women, must dress in simple garments

and sandals, so there is no distinction between richpeople and poorer people. Pilgrims must not eat or drinkduring the day and must refrain from cutting their hairand nails. When they reach the K abah they must circle itseven times and then kiss the black stone. On the tenthday of the pilgrimage, they offer a sacrifice or a goat orsheep to honor the willingness of Abraham to sacrificehis own son to obey Gods commands.

Every person who can afford to do so isexpected to make the hajj at least once in his or her life.

When they return home, pilgrims have the title of haji attached to their names to declare to the entire Muslimworld that they have done their duty and fulfilled thisimportant obligation. 40

The Ka'bah is the holiest shrine for Muslims and it is believedto be built by Adam.

Clothing

Both Muslim men and women are expected todress modestly, not showing off the physical form of their bodies. This means different things in differentplaces and cultures. For women, it often means wearinggarments that cover their hair and fit loosely so that theyreveal as little of their form and flesh as possible ( hijab ).In some Muslim countries such as

Iraq and Lebanon, womenwho choose Islamic dress,particular older Shiitewomen, do not wear brightcolors. Instead they dressalmost entirely in black orwhite. A chador covers themfrom head to toe except for

parts of their faces. In other places such as Afghanistan,


Traditional Muslim womanwearing a hijab
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women can dress in bright colors, but no part of theirfaces, including their eyes, can be uncovered. Thinmaterial is sewn into their burqas where their eyes are sothey can see where they are going. In Iran, where thegovernment requires all women to cover their hair, somegirls and women wear a headscarves and a loose-fittingcoats ( manteau ) over their clothes. Many Muslim girlsand women all over the world, including in the US,Canada and Europe, are choosing to wear a headscarf asan expression of their Muslim identity.

Dietary laws

Muslims are not allowed to eat pork or porkproducts such as ham or bacon. Some observant

Muslims will only eat meat that hasbeen slaughtered according to

certain religious rules, and isconsidered hallal . SomeShiites will not eat any foodthat has been prepared by a

non-Muslim.

Jihad

Jihad means struggle or striving in Arabic.

Throughout Islamic history it has had multiple andsometimes conflicting meanings. Most Muslim scholarsexplain the greater jihad as an inner struggle against

the distractions and temptations that interfere withleading the life of a good, responsible and pious Muslim.

Jihad is also used to mean defending Islam andthe Muslim community. The Quran gives the ProphetMuhammads followers the right to defend themselves

when attacked. The Qurans rules for warfare did notpermit attacking women, children, and religious scholarswho are not involved in the fighting. They also discussproportional responses to violence, how to treatprisoners, and making peace when the enemy agrees tostop fighting. At some points in Muslim history,however, the concept of jihad has used to justifyterritorial conquest, rebellion, assassination, and otheracts of violence. In recent years, Muslim religiousextremists have used the concept of jihad to justify actsof terrorism. 41 Today, almost all Muslims focus on thespiritual, internal warfare o f the greater jihad as theydevote their lives to serving God through Islam. 42



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The Islamic Calendar

The Muslim religiouscalendar is lunar, which meansthat it is based upon themoons revolutions around the

earth. There are 12 months inthe Muslim lunar year, which is

354 days long. The Muslim months are:

1. Muharram2. Safar3. Rabi' al-awwal4. Rabi' al-thani5. Jumada al-awwal6. Jumada al-thani7. Rajab

8.

Sha'ban9. Ramadan10. Shawwal11. Dhu al-Qi'dah12. Dhu al-Hijjah

Each month begins when a crescent of themoon can be seen in the sky after a new moon (when themoon cannot be seen at all). Since local weatherconditions can make it difficult or impossible to see themoons crescent , most Muslims rely on their religious

leaders to announce when the new Muslim month isabout to begin and when the holidays are to beobserved.

Muharram: the Muslim New Year

The Muslim New Year is observed on the firstday of the month of Muharram, the first month of theyear. The Islamic new year is celebrated quietly, byreading and reflecting upon the hijra and reciting

prayers. Because the Islamic year has only 354 days,each year Muharram is observed about 11 days earlierthan it was the previous year, according to the solarcalendar. Because of this, Muharram has no associationwith any particular season of the year. In some years theMuslim year begins in the summer or autumn, andduring other years in the winter or spring.

Ashura

Ashura is observed on the 10th day of Muharram. It is a day on which Muhammad fasted, aswell as Moses before him. For Shiites, Ashura has specialsignificance because it is the day that Husayn, theProphets grandson and the son of Muhammads son -in-law, was killed at the battle of Karbala in 61 AH (Dec. 19,680 CE).

Shiites in many countries mark 10 Muharramwith mourning rituals expressing intense grief at thedeath of the second Imam. Performances that dramatizeHusayns martyrdom are held at mosques and special

auditoriums ( husayniyas ) built especially for theseperformances.

Muslim Holidays


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There are three major interpretive traditionswithin Islam: Sunni, Shi I, and Sufi. Historically thedivision between Sunnis and Shiites had its origin in thedispute over who would succeed Muhammad after hisdeath. The internal struggles and civil wars split theemerging religion into Sunni and Shia factions. 43 Today,there are doctrinal and practical differences betweenmany varieties of Islam that have to do with acceptanceof the rulings of different religious authorities who citedifferent traditions ( Hadiths ) and have differentinterpretations of religious law (Shariah).

Sunnis

About 85% of the worlds Muslims are Sunnis.

Most Muslim countries have Sunni majorities. The termSunni comes from the Arab word for followers and is

short for followers of the prophet. In 632, whenMuhammad died without naming a successor, most of his followers believed that the communitys new leader

did not have to be a member of his family. Any qualifiedman who could govern the community the wayMuhammad had done was eligible to be its leader.Supporters of Abu Bakr, Muhammads friend and father -in-law , called themselves the People of the Sunna(prophetic example) and the Assembl ySunnis forshort. Abu Bakr became the first Caliph ( Khalifah ),succeeding Muhammad as the leader of the Islamiccommunity. 44 Sunnis accept the first four Caliphs asrightly guided followers of the ways of the ProphetMuhammad.

Most Sunnis follow one of four orthodox schoolsof legal thought ( fiqh ) that define the boundaries of Islamic belief and law ( Sharia ). The four schools areMaliki, Hanifi, Shafii, and Hanbali. 45 They base their legaldecisions on different Hadiths and rulings of earlierreligious scholars. A majority of the followers of theMaliki school are found in North Africa, the Muslim areasof West Africa, and several of the Arab states of thePersian Gulf. The Hanafi school, predominates in Turkey, Pakistan, the Balkans, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent,

Afghanistan, China , and Egypt. The Shafi'i school can be

found in the Arabian Peninsula, Indonesia, Malaysia,Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, Yemen and southern parts of India, while the Hanbali school is mostly found in Arabia.

Country Profile: Indonesia

Indonesia has one of the largest Muslim

communities with over 196 million adherents with the majority being

Sunni.

Diversity within Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafi%27ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafi%27ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maliki


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Shiism

About 10-15% of Muslims are Shia . Shiites area majority in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Yemen.Shiites believe that Muhammad chose Ali ibn Abi Talib,

Muhammad's first cousin who became his son-in-law

when he married Muhammads daughter, Fatima, tosucceed him. 46 After Muhammads death in 632, theShiat Ali , which means the Party of Ali, argued that Alishould become the leader of the Muslim community.However, Ali was passed over three times before hebecame the fourth of the rightly guided caliphs. Many

Shia question the legitimacy of the rule of the first three

caliphs, Ali became the first Shiite imam (leader). Imamsserved as both spiritual and political leaders. Religious aswell as political authority was passed down from Ali tohis son, Husayn, and to the imams who succeeded them.Each Imam chose his own successor, and passed downhis spiritual knowledge to him.

There are three main branches of Shiism, basedon their view of the legitimacy of the various imams whofollowed Muhammad. About 85% of Shiites are Ithna

Ashariya (Twelvers), who believe that were 12 imamswho followed Muhammad. The last of the 12, called theMahdi, disappeared. According to Shiite tradition, he was


Map of the Middle East and Surrounding Countries

AzerbaijanTurkey


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taken up into the arms of God. He became known as thehidden imam. The hidden Imam, called al -Mahdi, willreturn one day and play the role of savior. 47 A battlebetween good and evil will amount bringing peace to theworld. 48 Twelvers are in the majority in Iran, Azerbaijan,Iraq and Bahrain, and significant minorities in Iraq,Lebanon, Yemen and Kuwait.

Zaydis, who are mostly found in Yemen, rejectthe fifth Imam. They believe that any descendant of thesecond and third imams who leads a rebellion against acorrupt government qualifies as an imam. The Ismailis,who question the succession of the seventh imam, arefound in small communities in several countries, mostlyin Central and Southwest Asia. Their leader today is theAga Khan.

Sufism

Sufism is a mystical approach to Islam. Itteaches that a Muslim can seek an understanding of thedivine and has a personal experience with God throughdevotional practices. Sufism started to develop in theninth century and it has attracted large groups of followers who learned to follow the tariqa, which meansthe path in Arabic. The tariqa is a set of mental andsometimes physical exercises designed to aid in thedevelopment of unity with God as well as the everyday

folk Islam practiced by many of the worlds Muslims. 49

Sufism is an approach to Islam, not a separatebranch. Many Sufis share some Sunni or Shiite beliefs

and practices. Sufism has contributed to the spread of

popular religious practices by promoting individuals andholy shrines in several parts of the Muslim world.

Ibadiyya

There are other Muslims who are neither Sunni

nor Shiite. Ibadiyya Muslims live in Oman, in a corner of the Arabian Peninsula. Ibadis believe they are the earliestand most authentic form of Islam, dating back before theSunni-Shiite split.

Muslim Diversity

Finally, it is important to understand thatMuslims, regardless of whether they are Sunni or Shia, orwhat legal school of thought dominates in the country

they live in, take different attitudes toward the beliefsand practices of their religion. They may be conservativeor liberal, fundamentalist or reformist, mainstream orextremist. 50 Like Christians and Jews, some areobservant, some are not observant. They may go to themosque every day or hardly ever. They may celebrateholidays, even if they do not consider themselvesparticularly religious . Regardless of A Muslims attitudetoward his or her religion, Muslims dodo not like theirreligion to be misunderstood, made fun of, stereotyped,or spoken of disrespectfully.



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Islam is the fastest growing religion in theworld, with 1.3 billion followers. Muslims arethe majority or a significant minority in 57countries around the world. Most Muslims donot live in the Middle East.

Muslims are monotheistic, believing in one God. Allah is the Arabic word for God.

Muhammad is the last and greatest prophet of Islam.

The sacred text of Islam is the Qur an (sometimes spelled Koran ). Observant Muslimslive their lives according to the five pillars of Islam faith, prayer, charity, fasting andpilgrimage.

The main division in Islam is between Sunnis andShiites. About 85% of Muslims are Sunni.

The Muslim calendar dates back to the ProphetMuhammads hijra from Mecca to Medina in622 CE.

Observant Muslims pray as many as five times aday, facing Mecca.

A Muslim place of worship is called a mosque . Itis especially important to pray at a mosque onFridays.

Observant Muslims do not eat pork. Some willonly eat meat slaughtered in a certain way(hallal).

The two most important Muslim holidays are Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha ,the Feast of the Sacrifice.

Islam in the World

Islam, like other major religions, is diverse and has a rich history. By now, you should know a little more aboutIslam and how it influences the daily lives of millions all over the world. As the second largest religion in the world, it isimportant to understand how a system of beliefs can impact a person as well as groups of people. Here are some of the key points that you should remember:


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Caliph : (in Arabic, khalifah meaning successor) forSunnis, the successor of Muhammad as head of theMuslim community.

Five Pillars of Islam : the core principles of Islam thatform the framework for a devout life: faith, prayer,charity, fasting, and pilgrimage.

Hadith : reports about the pronouncements and sayingsof Muhammad recounted by his companions.

Hajj : pilgrimage to Mecca where every adult Muslim of sound mind and body must perform once in her/hislifetime.

Hijrah the flight of Muhammad and his companionsfrom Mecca to Yathrib (Medina) around 622 CE whichmarks the founding of the first Muslim community and

the start of the Muslim calendar.

Imam : a prayer leader in general, and, for Shias, thelegitimate leader of the Muslim community in particular.For Sunnis, any great scholar might be called an imam.For Shias, the Imam is one of the 12 successors of

Muhammad, descended from Muhammads cousin, Ali

ibn Abi Talib.

Jahiliyya : the time of ignorance before the coming of Islam.

Jihad : struggle or striving in the way of God. Strugglemay be waged against oneself or against unbelievers.

Kabah : cube shaped building in the center of thesanctuary of the Great Mosque at Mecca where Muslimsbelieve that Adam erected and Abraham rebuilt the firsthouse for the worship of one God.

Mecca : birthplace of Muhammad where he received hisrevelations from God.

Medina : city where the first Muslim community wasestablished.

Mosque : place of worship.

Quran : (previously spelled as Koran). The primary textand sacred bo ok of Islam containing Gods directrevelations through Muhammad as his prophet.

Shahadah : basic statement of Muslim belief: There is nogod but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Shariah : a system of Islamic religious laws based on theQuran, Sunnah and Hadith.

Sunnah : the customs, practices and traditions of Muhammad and his followers.

Ummah : the community of Muslims.

Glossary


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BBC Online

This site provides background information about thehistory and practices of Islam.

Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/

PBS Online

This site provides information about Muhammad, thelegacy of a prophet.

Website:http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtml

Center for Muslim-Christian

Understanding

The Center's mission is to improve relations between theMuslim world and the West and to enhanceunderstanding of Muslims in the West.

Website: http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

Oxford Islamic Studies Online brings together currentscholarship in the field and promotes accurate and aninformed understanding of the Islamic world.

Website: http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com

Arab Culture and Civilization

This site will introduce you to the basic principles of theIslamic faith, as well as a sense of how it functions on asocial level.

Website: http://dev.arabworld.nitle.org

Council on American-Islamic Relations

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is aMuslim civil liberties and advocacy group. CAIRs vision isto promote justice and mutual understanding.

Website: http://www.cair.com

Electronic Resources
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtmlhttp://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtmlhttp://cmcu.georgetown.edu/http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/http://dev.arabworld.nitle.org/http://dev.arabworld.nitle.org/http://dev.arabworld.nitle.org/http://www.cair.com/http://www.cair.com/http://www.cair.com/http://dev.arabworld.nitle.org/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/


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What is MiGlobE?

M = Miami, University of

i = Initiative: to take action

Globe = represents MAIA:

commitment to world affairs andinterdisciplinary global studies

E = signifies, enrichment,entrepreneurship, engagement,and education

Adopt the World: learn about it!

We adopt highways, chimpanzees, manatees, seals,anything. Until now, nobody has thought of adopting theworld of the twenty first century. Critical events havebrought the humanities to the forefront. It is no longer

acceptable for U.S. students to be culturally illiterate.Thus, global affairs are in need of better articulation anddemonstration.

At their first meeting in 2006, theMaster of Arts in InternationalAdministration (MAIA) programand the Miami-Dade CountyPublic Schools (M-DCPS)Curriculum and Instruction,Social Sciences Department,

joined forces to identify waysof improving the state of global education in Miamis

public schools.

M-DCPS Curriculum andInstruction, Social Sciences hasdeveloped criteria that schools must meet inorder to earn the distinction of having Adopted theWorld . The Adopt the World curriculum units introduceand examine global and cultural issues, helping toovercome the challenges associated with teaching and

learning about globalization such as: the scale, breadth,and complexity of the subject matter. Adopt the Worlds mission is to help teachers improve global elements intheir curricula; to prepare materials downloadable fromMAIAs webpage focusing on current issues and crises

affecting the globe; and to provide professionaldevelopment opportunities for teachers to enhance theirknowledge of global concerns.

The Miami Initiative for Global Enrichment(MiGlobE) is dedicated to conducting research and

analysis of world affairs as well as advocatingcommunity development of global

knowledge. It manages MAIAs non -governmental organizations for

community development at homeand abroad. This includesresearch, production andmanagement of Adopt theWorld, World at Risk, and MAIA

for Maya. The Initiativeoversees the partnership

between the University of Miamis MAIA program and the

Miami- Dade County Public Schools(M-DCPS) social sciences department,

which includes operation of all digitalmaterials.

For more information about Adopt the World: learnabout it, please visit www.MAIAProgram.org

Miami Initiative for Global Enrichment -MiGlobE
http://www.maiaprogram.org/http://www.maiaprogram.org/http://www.maiaprogram.org/http://www.maiaprogram.org/


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1 US. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. Bill of Rights. National Archives, 15 Nov. 2007.2 Warf, Barney and Peter Vincent. Religious diversity acrossthe globe: a geographic exploration. Social & Cultural

Geography 8.4 (Aug. 2007): p. 599.3 Denver, Martha, et al. The 4 th R: Teaching about Religion inthe Public Schools. The Social Studies (Sept. /Oct. 2001): 220.4 Esposito and Mogahed, op. cit., p.7.5 Katsch, Abraham I. Judaism in Islam: Biblical and TalmudicBackgrounds of the Koran and its Commentaries . 3rd Ed. NewYork: Sepher-Hermon Press. 1980. p. xvii-xx.6 Ruthven, Malise. Islam: a very short introduction . New York:Oxford University Press. 1997. p. v.7 Nigosian, Solomon Alexander. Islam: its history, teaching and practices . Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 2004. p. xv.8 Esposito, John L. and Mogahed, Dahlia. Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think . New York: GallupPress. 2007. p. 29

Religion, World Almanac & Book of Facts, (New York: WorldAlmanac Education Group Inc., 2007) p. 711-722.

10 Warf, op. cit., p. 603.11 Ibid. p. 3.12 Ibid. p. 28.13 Gregorian, Vartan. Islam: a mosaic, not a monolith .Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. 2003. p. 1.14 Solomon, Lois K. South Florida Muslims gathering to urgeinvolvement in Communities. South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 18Aug. 2008.15 Berkey, Jonathon P. Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800 . New York: Cambridge UniversityPress. 2003. p. 41-42.16 Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History . New York:

Random House Publishing Group. 2002. p. 3-4.17 Adamec, Ludwig W. The A to Z of Islam . Lanham: ScarecrowPress. 2002. p. 2.18 Nigosian, op. cit., p. 7-8.19 Ibid.20 Karsh, Efraim. Islamic Imperialism: a history . New Haven:Yale University Press. 2006. p. 9.

21 Schimmel, Annemarie. Islam: An Introduction . Albany: StateUniversity of New York Press. 1992. p. 7-12.22 Zeitlan, Irving M. The Historical Muhammad . Cambridge:Polity Press. 2007. p. 11.23 Robinson, Francis. Atlas of the Islamic World . Oxford:Equinox. 1982. p. 22.24

Adamec, op. cit., p. 181.25 Baron, Salo Wittmayer. Social and Religious History of the Jews. New York: Columbia University Press, 1958. vol. III, p. 96.26 Robinson, op. cit., p. 72-73.27 Nigosian, op. cit., p. 80-86, 110-111.28 Ibid.29 Adamec, op. cit., p. 165.30 Riaz, Hassan. On Being Religious: Patterns of ReligiousCommitment in Muslim Societies. The Muslim World . Volume97, Number 3 (July, 2007). pp. 437-478. p. 455.31 Gregorian, Vartan. Islam: a mosaic, not a monolith .Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. 2003. p. 9-11.32 Adamec, op. cit., p. 138.33 Riaz, Hassan. Op. cit., p. 437-478.34

Esposito and Mogahed. p. 10.35 Ruthven, op. cit., p. 147.36 Adamec, op. cit., p. 185-186.37 Nigosian, op. cit., p. 107.38 Esposito and Mogahed. op. cit., p. 15.39 Adamec, Ludwig W. op. cit., p. 94.40 Schimmel, op. cit., p. 37-38.41 Esposito and Mogahed. p. 17-21.42 Cook, David. Understanding Jihad . Berkeley: University of California. 2005. p. 32-39.43 Berkey, op. cit., p. 70-72.44 Adamec, op. cit., p. 70.45 Nigosian, op. cit., p. 23, 44-46, 86-87.46 Gregorian, Vartan. op. cit., p. 15, 17-21.47

Berkey, Jonathan P. op. cit., p. 87, 138-139.48 Berkey, op. cit., p. 87, 138-139.49 Adamec, op. cit., p. 248.50 Esposito and Mogahed, op. cit., p. 3.

References

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