Chapter 8 Islam

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Chapter 8Islam
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Definitions

• Allah the name of God
• Ayat literal translation is signs but means
  verses and refers to the Quran.
• Ghusl ritual cleansing of the entire body an
  act of purification so that an individual can
  participate in prayer, attend the mosque or touch
  the Quran.
• Hadith Traditions based on the teachings and
  sayings of the Prophet. They are the second
  source of the law for Muslims the Quran is the
  first source.
• Hajj Pilgrimage to Makkah the fifth Pillar of
  the Islamic faith
• Hijab a headscarf worn by women as a sign of
  modesty.
• Hijrah the migration of Muhammad from Makkah to
  Madinah. The Islamic lunar calendar begins from
  the lunar year of the hijrah (622 CE)

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Definitions

• Idolatry the worshipping of objects, usually
  sculptures or paintings, as gods.
• Imam Muslim prayer leader.
• Islam literally means submission or
  surrender to the will of God a world religion
  that believes in one God and that the Word of God
  was sent via Gods holy Messenger, Muhammad.
• Jihad literally means striving striving to
  obey the commands of God often translated by
  non-Muslims as holy war.
• Kabah a cube shaped building that Abraham
  built under divine inspiration and dedicated to
  the One God.
• Miraj the ascension of Muhammad into heaven.

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Definitions

• Mosque Muslim place of worship.
• Muslim literally means one who submits to the
  will of God an adherent of the Islamic faith.
• Polygamy the practice of having more than on
  wife at a time. Under certain conditions, Islam
  allows for men to mary up to four wives.
• Polytheism the belief in numerous gods.
• Quran the holy book of Islam, seen as Gods
  word and not Muhammads word even though Muhammad
  conveyed it.
• Revelation a special infallible kind of
  inspiration (Arabic wahi) reserved for only
  those who are appointed by God as Prophets (as
  distinct from a normal kind of inspiration
  experienced by other people.)

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Definitions

• Salat Ritual prayer (or service of worship)
  that takes place before dawn, early afternoon,
  late-afternoon, soon after sunset and then an
  hour and a half later in the evening the second
  Pillar of the Islamic faith.
• Sawm Mandatory fasting during Ramadan, the
  ninth month. Muslims may fast on many other
  occasions in addition to this the fourth Pillar
  of the Islamic faith.
• Shahadah The Islamic creed or declaration of
  faith There is no god but God and Muhammad is
  the Messenger of God. It is the first Pillar of
  the Islamic faith.
• Shariah Islamic law based on the Quran, the
  Sunnah (i.e. The example set by the Prophet)
• Sunnah the practices, traditions, and example
  set by the Prophet.

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Definitions

• Surah A chapter in the Quran.
• Wudu Ablution ritual cleansing of certain
  parts of the body performed prior to salat
  prayers, other acts of worship and other
  religious practices literally and spiritually
  means making pure or radiant.
• Zakat Giving alms to the poor and needy the
  third Pillar of the Islamic faith.

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The Islamic World

• Islam is the second largest and currently the
  fastest growing religion in the world.
  Approximately 1/5th of the worlds population or
  1.2 billion people belong to the Islamic faith.
  There is a growing Muslim population in Canada.
  Muslims recorded the greatest percentage increase
  in the latest national survey more than doubling
  from 253 300 in 1991 to 579 600 in 2001.

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Islam Introduction

• Islam is an Arabic word that means surrender or
  submission. Islam as a faith means total and
  sincere submission or surrender to God so that
  one can live in peace and tranquility. One who
  follows the teachings of Islam is referred to as
  a Muslim one who submits to God and finds
  peace in Him.
• The name Islam is universal in meaning. It is
  not named after a tribe of people or an
  individual, as Judaism is named after the tribe
  of Judah, Christianity after Christ, and Buddhism
  after the Buddha. Islam is not a name chosen by
  human beings but instead divinely communicated
  from God to the Prophet Muhammad. Islam is a
  global faith, not of the East and West. Islam is
  a complete way of life, implying total submission
  to God. One who surrenders his/her will to God,
  voluntarily, is called Muslim. It was not
  Muhammad but Adam who first brought Islam to
  humanity. Then God send Prophets and Messengers
  to help the people clearly understand Gods
  commandments. They offered teachings relevant to
  that time, until God chose the final prophet,
  Muhammad, to come with the Last Testament
  referred to as the Quran.
• Allah is the name given to The One who created
  the heavens and the earth. It is an Arabic word
  meaning The One and Only True Deity.

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Islam Monotheism

• The single most important concept in Islam is
  monotheism. Everything in Islam is built upon
  the oneness of God as stated in the first of the
  Ten Commandments
• I am the Lord your God you shall have no other
  gods before me. You shall not make for yourself
  an idol, whether in the form of anything that is
  in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath,
  or that is in the water under the earth. You
  shall not bow down to them or worship them for I
  the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing
  children for the iniquity of parents, to the
  third and the fourth generation of those who
  reject me, but showing steadfast love to the
  thousandth generation of those who love me and
  keep my commandments. Exodus 204 6
• According to Islamic teachings, no act of worship
  or devotion has any meaning or value if the
  concept of monotheism is in any way compromised.
  The oneness of God means that the Creator has
  absolute and perfect mastery over the universe.
  God alone created everything and causes
  everything to happen. It is The One who provides
  all sustenance and who determines all life and
  death. He is the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the
  Omniscient, and the Omnipresent. God is the
  ever-present, compassionate guide who leads us in
  knowledge and fulfillment. Therefore one must
  surrender to God.

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Islam Monotheism

• Following the concept of monotheism, Muslims
  believe that no one shares in the dominion of The
  One who created the universe, the laws of nature,
  and each and every person. They believe that He
  simply says Be! and it is done. He created
  time, space, and all the known and unknown
  worlds and yet He is not part of any of them.
  God is not part of His own creation and none of
  His creation shares his power. To believe that
  any of Gods creation shares in His power or
  attributes is considered polytheism and
  disbelief. Examples of such false beliefs would
  be a belief in fortune-tellers or astrologers,
  good luck charms, etc. Only God possesses the
  knowledge of the future and no being except God
  has the ability to give divine help or divine
  guidance.
• Thus the purpose of Islam To call people away
  from the worship of creation and to direct them
  toward the worship of the Creator.
• Question How do you think the Catholic Church
  would respond to this statement? Would the
  church agree or disagree? Explain.

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Islam Monotheism

• Muslims reject anthropologists that suggest that
  humanity was polytheistic but eventually evolved
  into monotheism. Muslims believe that humanity
  instead descended into idolatry during the
  intervals of time between the messengers of God.
  Each time this occurred, God commissioned
  Messengers and Prophets to bring the people back
  to monotheism.
• God placed in each human being the natural
  inclination towards the worship of Him alone.
  Satan, on the other attempts to get people to
  turn away from monotheism, enticing humanity to
  worship creation instead (idolatry). Think of
  the 7 Deadly Sins (pride, envy, lust, gluttony,
  anger, sloth, jealousy). The nature of sin is
  based on self-centredness and selfishness.

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Muhammad The Prophet

• In the seventh century, God sent the Archangel
  Gabriel to a man named Muhammad, the last Prophet
  sent to humanity by God. Muhammad experienced a
  series of revelations a profound spiritual
  experience where spiritual truth is revealed.
  Muslims believe that this was a special,
  infallible kind of inspiration reserved for only
  those who are appointed by God as Prophets. This
  revelation, received by Muhammad, proclaimed the
  oneness of God and the need to submit to God
  through worship and righteous living.
• Abraham is a great prophet and is central to the
  Islamic faith I will make of you a great
  nation you will have more decedents than stars
  in the sky. Muslims also view Noah, Moses,
  David, Jesus and many others from the Judaism and
  Christianity as great prophets.

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Muhammad The Prophet

• 570 Muhammad born in trading city of Mecca.
  Orphaned 3 times by age 10. Raised by uncle who
  taught him trade of caravan manager.
• 595 Muhammad marries Kdahijan, owner of the
  caravan rich widow 25 years his senior. Have
  several children monogamous relationship for 24
  years (later in life he adds other wives, by
  special permission he exceeds the Quran
  limitation of 4 wives).
• 620 during month of Ramadan, while meditating in
  a cave on Mt. Hira, he receives first of the
  revelations that would become the Quran. He
  memorizes the revelation others write it down
  he recites it back to Gabriel to make sure it is
  free from error.
• 620 is also the year of the Night Journey Angel
  Gabriel takes him to Jerusalem to site of where
  the Dome of the Rock now stands, Muhammed meets
  Jesus, Moses, Abraham and Adam this is why
  Jerusalem is a sacred city to Moslems.

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Muhammad The Prophet

• 622 Political infighting and corruption causes
  Muhammed to flee to Medina. Turning-point from
  now on Islam is political, military and religious
  and it is impossible to separate them. Muhammed
  becomes a military leader mostly successful.
  622 marks the beginning of Islam (the flight to
  Medina or Hirja now denotes history each year
  after 622 is A.H. (after the Hijra).
• 623 Muhammad leads army of 10,000 against Mecca
  and destroys the idols at the Kabah.
• 632 Muhammad dies and is buried in Medina.
  Problem with succession leads by 732, to a major
  split in the Muslim world. The Sunni Muslims look
  back to the first 4 Caliphs who consolidated
  power at Muhammads death as Islams golden
  age. On the other hand Shiites (from shiat ali,
  Alis party) see the first three caliphs as
  usurpers who should have allowed Ali, Muhammads
  cousin and son-in-law, to succeed him in the
  first place. 90 of the worlds Muslims are
  Sunnis Shiites (nearly 10) mostly concentrated
  in Iran. Sufi (The Whirling Dervishes) follow
  the teaching of Jalaluddin Rumi (d.1273). They
  spin rhythmically while chanting the 99 names of
  God.

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The Five Pillars of Islam
Muslims believe that true liberation or freedom
can only be achieved through complete submission
to the will of Allah (God). What obstacle to
complete submission to the will of God do you see
in Canadian society?
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The Five Pillars of IslamBasic Practices and
Social Teachings
The First Pillar Shahadah Declaration of
Faith The Second Pillar Salat Mandatory
prayer five times a day. The Third Pillar
Zakat Mandatory almsgiving The Fourth Pillar
Sawm Mandatory fasting The Fifth Pillar Hajj
Mandatory pilgrimage to Makkah.
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The First Pillar the Declaration of Faith
(Shahadah)

• It is obligatory for every person intending to
  enter Islam to believe and to say, I testify
  that there is no true deity except God, and that
  Muhammad is His Messenger With this simple,
  important and powerful declaration, a person is
  considered a Muslim. There is no initiation in
  Islam. There are three parts of the testimony
• No true deity is a negation of polytheism.
• except God is an affirmation of monotheism.
• Muhammad is Gods Messenger is an affirmation
  that Muhammad is the final Prophet and Messenger
  of God. This also means accepting the Quran as
  authentic the truth revealed through by God.

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The Second Pillar Mandatory Prayer Five Times
Daily (Salat)
It is required for every Muslim to perform five
obligatory prayers a day before dawn, mid-day,
late afternoon, after sunset, after dark. Prior
to praying, a person must perform a ritual
cleansing known as wudu making pure or
radiant. A Muslim turns toward Makkah (Mecca)
when performing these prayers, facing the first
house built for the worship of the One God. This
house is called the Kabah, an empty cube-like
structure which is located in Saudi Arabia. It
was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael for the
worship of the One True God. While Islam has no
sacred relics or symbols (monotheism), facing the
Kabah is intended on unifying the worshipers in
their prayer. The prayers remind one of the need
to surrender to God and provide an opportunity to
give thanks, as well as ask for forgiveness,
guidance and mercy.
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The Third Pillar Paying the Yearly Alms (Zakat)
The word zakat means to purify or increase. It
is a religious duty for every Muslim who is
prosperous enough to accumulate and retain wealth
to give a portion to the needy each year. Since
all things belong to God, wealth is therefore
held in trust by human beings. Paying these alms
is a way for people who are financially able to
purify the ethically gained wealth that God has
bestowed upon them. In addition, it is a call to
help the poor and needy throughout society.
Zakah purifies the soul of the giver, reduces
greed, and strengthens compassion and generosity
among humanity. The basic rate of these alms is
2.5 percent of the wealth that has been held in
savings for an entire year. These alms are
levied on savings, not income.
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The Fourth Pillar Fasting During Ramadan (Sawm)
All able bodied, post adolescents Muslims must
fast during the lunar month of Ramadan. This
month is significant because the first revelation
of the Quran to Mohammed occurred during this
month. Since a day in the lunar calendar is 11
days shorter than the solar calendar, the month
of Ramadan passes through all seasons of the
year. Fasting is a form of self-purification
during daylight hours, a person must abstain from
food, drink and marital sexual intercourse.
These activities are permissible from sunset to
the following dawn. Fasting teaches self-control
and patience. It reminds people of the
conditions of the needy and gives one
appreciation for the simple blessings one often
takes for granted. One of the two holidays for
Muslims is Eid Al-Fitr which is celebrated at the
end of Ramadan.
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The Fifth Pillar Making the Pilgrimage to
Makkah (Hajj)
Every Muslim is to make the pilgrimage to the
Kabah in Makkah, once in a lifetime if he or she
has the ability and means to do so. Muslims from
all over the world gather together for the
purpose of worshipping and pleasing God alone.
Millions of pilgrims visit the Kabah and perform
hajj annually. The rite of hajj originated from
the Prophet Abraham and was restored by Muhammad.
The pilgrimage to Makkah compels the pilgrims to
break down the racial, economic and social
barriers. It also invites each pilgrim to
practice patience, self-restraint and piety. The
pilgrims wear simple garments that strip away the
distinction of class and culture. The rite of
Hajj keeps the remembrance of God alive and
reminds Muslims that from God one comes and to
God one will return.
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Pillars of Christianity

• Islam has Five Pillars which form the foundation
  of a Muslims spiritual lives. If you were asked
  to identify five pillars which support the Roman
  Catholic faith, what would you choose? Explain
  each and justify your choice.

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The Quran

• And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our
  Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good
  deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to
  practise regular charity and they constantly
  served Us (and Us only).
• Al-Anbiyaa' 2173
• Muslims believe that the Quran is infallible in
  its truth. What does the term infallible mean?
• What potential challenges does this pose in our
  modern day world?
• How does this compare to the way Catholics look
  at the Bible?

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The Quran

• Belief
• Gods Presence in the World
• God Provider waters which God sends down from
  the sky
• Sacramental Awareness in all this, there are
  messages indeed for people who use their reason.

• Passage from the Quran
• Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of
  the earth, and the succession of night and day
  and in the ships that speed through the sea with
  what is useful to man and in the waters which
  God sends down from the sky, giving life thereby
  to the earth after it had been lifeless, and
  causing all manner of living creatures to
  multiply thereon and in the change of the winds,
  and the clouds that run their appointed courses
  between sky and earth in all this there are
  messages indeed for people who use their reason.
  
• Surah 2164

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The Quran

• The Quran was shared orally with Muhammads
  followers who proceeded to memorize the divine
  messages.
• Eventually, a manuscript of the revelations was
  prepared.
• The Quran has 114 surahs or chapters and 6200
  ayats or verses.

• The word Quran means recitation. As a result,
  the Quran is traditionally recited or chanted
  rather than simply read silently.
• The Quran was not given to Muhammad as a
  complete book in one session but instead the
  revelations were received over a twenty-three
  year period.
• Criticism of the Quran is not permitted because
  of its infallible nature the Word of God.
• Because it is seen as the actual word of God, the
  Quran is different from all other sacred
  writings. The Quran is the unaltered word of
  the Most High delivered to the prophet by the
  Angel Gabriel.

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Islamic Law

• Hadith (Sunnah) The Hadith (or Sunnah) is the
  second source of Islamic law. They are words,
  thoughts and actions directly relatied to the
  Prophet Muhammad. Hadith are therefore important
  for Muslims to determine the Sunnah or Muslim
  way of life. They provide a stable moral
  framework for Muslims, helping them develop an
  inward sense to know right from wrong. There are
  three kinds of Hadith
• sayings directly associated with Muhammad.
• an action or practice of Muhammads
• the Prophets silent approval of someone elses
  actions.
• Scholars classify the Hadith literature so as to
  determine its authenticity (sound, good, weak, or
  infirm).

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Day of Worship

• Friday is an important day in the life of a
  Muslim and it is believed that any devotional
  acts done on this day gain a higher reward. This
  day however should not be understood as a
  Sabbath, for Muslims reject the belief that God
  rested after Creation. The reason for the
  selection of Friday is due to the belief that
  Adam was created on that day. Believers attend
  congregational prayer at the local mosque,
  perform prayer and listen to a sermon by the
  Imam. When the holidays occur, it is according to
  the lunar Islamic calendar. Friday is known as
  "Yowm ul-Jumuah" which means "day of gathering".
  The day that Muslims gather.

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Islamic Festivals

• Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims
  around the world get up before dawn to eat the
  Suhoor meal (the pre dawn meal) and perform their
  morning prayer. The fast is intended to be an
  exacting act of deep personal worship in which
  Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God.
  The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart
  away from worldly activities, to cleanse the
  inner soul and free it from harm. Properly
  observing the fast is supposed to induce a
  comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also
  allows Muslims to practice self-discipline,
  sacrifice, and sympathy for those who are less
  fortunate. Muslims can eat after the sun has
  set.

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Islamic Festivals

• Eid al-Fitr the Celebration of the Breaking of
  the Fast is the holiday celebrating the end of
  Ramadan first day of the tenth month of the
  Islamic calendar. It begins after sun down of
  the last day of Ramadan. In the early morning of
  the first day of Shawwal (first day of the Eid),
  Muslims perform a ritual prayer called the Eid
  prayer. Sweets, food, and non-alcoholic drinks
  are distributed in masajids (mosques) and homes.
  Celebrations extend up to three days. Also gifts
  are given out and also traded between friends and
  family.

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Islamic Festivals

• Eid al-Adha also called the big holiday, falls
  approximately 70 days after Eid al-Fitr and is
  celebrated in honour of the prophet Abraham when
  he intended to sacrifice his son Ismael as a
  proof of his loyalty to God. Eid al-Adha is
  translated into English as "The Feast of
  Sacrifice", when Muslims all over the world
  present an animal (usually a cow or a sheep)
  sacrifice as a gratitude action for God saving
  the Prophet Ismael's life. The slaughtered animal
  meat is divided into thirds, one for the person
  who is presenting the beast, one to be
  distributed to his poor relatives, and the last
  third for the needy, regardless of their
  religion, race, or nationality.

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Islamic Festivals

• Milad ul-Nabi honours the date of birth of
  Muhammad, the prophet. It falls on the twelvth
  day of the third month in the Islamic calendar.

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Islamic Festivals

• Miraj this festival celebrates the night
  journey and ascension. It is the night when
  Muhammad was, according to Hadiths, taken to "the
  furthest mosque" (generally understood to be
  Jerusalem) on a Buraq (a beast resembling horse
  with wings some people consider it a cherub) and
  ascended to the highest level of the heavens. It
  is said that he negotiated with God about the
  number of prayers, which started at fifty a day,
  but on his way down he met Moses, who asked him
  to ask for a reduction in the number because the
  requirement was difficult for Muhammad's people.
  Muhammad returned to God and several times asked
  for, and was granted a reduction of five prayers,
  until the number was reduced to five in total,
  with the blessing that if they were properly
  performed, the performers would be credited with
  fifty prayers instead of five.

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Islamic Festivals

• Islamic New Year The 1st of Muharram is the New
  Year on the Islamic Calendar. In Arabic, the new
  year is called, "R'as as-Sana." (The Jewish New
  Year has a similar name, "Rosh Hashana".) It is
  not generally celebrated as an official Islamic
  holiday, although many Muslim communities have
  devised or revived some kind of new year ritual
  celebration.

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Islamic Festivals

• The Shiah Observance of Muharram for Shiahs,
  the festival takes place in the first ten days of
  the Muslim New Year. It commemorates the
  martyrdom of Husayn, the son of Ali and grandson
  of Muhammad who was killed at the battle of
  Karbala in 680 C.E.

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Symbols

• N.B. With Muhammad stating that one should not
  worship or revere pictures or sculptures for fear
  of polytheism and idolatry, Islam has very few
  symbols.
• The Shahadah the First Pillar of Islam it is
  found on the national flag of Saudi Arabia.

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Symbols

• The Crescent Moon and Star Byzantium (later
  Constantinople and now Istanbul) adopted the
  crescent moon as a symbolic tribute to Diana,
  goddess of the hunt. In 330 CE, Constantine
  added the star in honour of Mary, Mother of
  Jesus. When Constantinople became a Muslim city
  in 1453 CE, the star and the crescent moon were
  established symbols of the city and eventually
  became associated with Muslim nations.

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Islams Holy Places - the Prophets Mosque in
Madinah
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Islams Holy Places - the Kabah
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Islams Holy Places Dome of the Rock
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Milestones

• Childhood Children are born free of sin with a
  natural inclination toward goodness and virtue.
  It is innate for child to seek a relationship
  with God. The ceremony performed after the birth
  of a child is called the Adhan the child is
  washed and then the father, or some elderly
  person, whispers the Call to Prayer in his/her
  right ear. In the left ear, the person whispers
  the Command to Rise and Worship. This is called
  Iqamah.

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Milestones

• Aqiqah performed by the parents or the guardians
  of the child. On the seventh day after birth, the
  name of the baby should be announced. It is the
  responsibility of the parents to give the baby
  the best name. The prophet said
• " Verily all of you would be called out in the
  Day of Judgement by your name and the name of
  your fathers, so be good in naming yourselves." 
• Muslims can choose between a family name, one of
  Muhammads names or one of the Ninety-Nine
  Beautiful Names that describe God. If one of
  the names of God is used, the name must be
  proceeded by Abd (servant). On the seventh day,
  it is also encouraged for the baby's hair to be
  shaved for boys and also girls.. The weight of
  the hair should be translated to the weight in
  gold and the value be donated to the poor. In
  most cases, male circumcision, called Khitan,
  usually takes place in the hospital.

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Milestones

• Marriage "Marry the spouseless among you...if
  they are poor, God will enrich them of His
  bounty."(Qur'an 2432)
• For Muslims, marriage is a highly recommended,
  legally sanctioned union between a man and a
  woman, designed to bring happiness and
  companionship to both parties. The purpose of
  marriage is Islam is to build a strong family who
  know, seek and live according to the will of God.
  Muslim marriage is voluntary, although one often
  consults ones parents. Once a suitable suitor
  is found, a contract is drawn up outlining the
  various wishes of the two parties (lifestyle
  issues, property, money). Since both parties
  were involved in the terms of the marriage
  contract, no third party needs to witness the
  document. Ceremonies can be held either in the
  mosque or at home with an imam or a qadi (one
  authorized to solemnize marriages) overseeing the
  celebration. The Quran is read followed by a
  family celebration.

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Milestones

• Polygamy the practice of multiple marriages. In
  Islam, polygamy is allowed, with the specific
  limitation that men can only have up to four
  wives at any one time. However, the Qur'an
  specifically states that men who choose this
  route must deal with their wives as fairly as
  possible, doing everything that they can to spend
  equal amounts of time and money on each one of
  them. The intent of polygamy is to provide
  widows with an opportunity to remarry. It was
  seen as a sign of charity to marry a widow,
  sparing her the hardship of fending for herself.
  Muslims also believe that a woman who agrees to
  share her husband with another woman demonstrates
  tolerance and understanding. Note before
  taking another wife, a husband must get
  permission from his first wife. Although many
  Muslim countries still retain traditional Islamic
  law which permits polygamy, certain elements
  within some Muslim societies challenge its
  acceptability.

Indonesian housewives march during a peace
demonstration against polygamy. Islam permits up
to four wives but some nations like Tunisia have
banned polygamy. More than 90 of Indonesias
population is Muslim.
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Milestones

• Divorce The most detestable of the permitted
  things in the eyes of God is divorce.
• In Islam, divorce is allowed, though strongly
  discouraged. Islam considers marriage to be a
  legal contract and the act of obtaining a
  divorce is essentially the act of legally
  dissolving the contract. According to Sharia law,
  there is a required waiting period before a
  divorce is considered valid. Either party can
  begin the procedure. It can be unilateral or
  bilateral or be obtained by a court of law. The
  Quran insists that a period of time pass before
  giving someone a divorce a time of
  contemplation. The matter may also be referred
  to arbitration.

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Milestones

• Death Death is a very painful and emotional
  time, yet one that for Muslims may be filled with
  hope and mercy. Muslims believe that death is a
  departure from the life of this world, but not
  the end of a person's existence. Rather, eternal
  life is to come. Relatives and friends pray for
  God's mercy to be with the departed, in hopes
  that they may find peace and happiness in the
  life to come. Burial rites usually take place as
  soon as possible, preferably the same day. Prior
  to the burial, the body is ritualistically washed
  and shrouded. Excerpts from the Quran that
  pertain to the Day of Judgement are recited.
  After the burial, a period of mourning is
  observed 3 days. Muslims believe that the
  deceased is visited by two angels to whom they
  must account for their lifes deeds.

52
When the Prophet Muhammad died in the early 7th
Century, he not only left the religion of Islam
but also an Islamic State in the Arabian
Peninsula with around one hundred thousand Muslim
inhabitants. It was the question of who should
succeed the Prophet and lead the fledgling
Islamic state that eventually led to the division
in Islam. One group of Muslims (the larger group
- Sunni) elected Abu Bakr, a close companion of
the Prophet as the next caliph (leader) of the
Muslims and he was duly appointed. However a
smaller group (Shiah) believed that the
Prophets son-in-law, Ali, should become the
caliph. Both Shi'as and Sunni have good
evidence to support their theories. For example,
the Prophet chose Abu Bakr to lead the
congregational prayers as he lay on his deathbed,
suggesting to Sunni's that the Prophet was
hinting at the next leader. Shi'as take the
evidence that Muhammad stood up in front of
hundreds of his companions on his way back from
Hajj, and proclaimed that his family would never
be led astray. Reports say he took Ali's hand and
said that anyone who followed Muhammad should
follow Ali. Muslims who believe that Abu Bakr
should be the Prophet's successor have come to be
known as Sunni. Muslims who believe Ali should
have been the Prophet's successor are now known
as Shia. The use of the word successor should not
be confused to mean that that those that followed
the Prophet Muhammad were also prophets - both
Shia and Sunni agree that Muhammad was the final
prophet.
Divisions in Islam
53
Sunni

• Name derived from the word sunna, which means
  well-trodden path.
• Approximately 90 of the worlds Muslims are
  Sunnis
• Most influential group in Islam.
• Believe in building consensus within the
  community in order to arrive at a just and
  equitable society.
• Follow the traditions of the Prophet as well as
  the four schools of Sunni law Hanafi, ShafiI,
  Hanbali, and Maliki.
• Pray five times a day.

54
Shiah

• Known as the party of Ali, the son-in law and
  rightful successor of Muhammad rather than Abu
  Bakr.
• Shiahs believe that, after the Prophets death,
  a series of infallible leaders called Imams were
  to take charge of Islam and guide the community.
• Shiahs make up a small group within Islam. They
  dominate the politics and religious life in Iran
  with a smaller voice in Iraq, East Africa,
  Pakistan and India.
• Shia Islam has a strong sense of martyrdom
  related to the death of Hussein, Alis son, in
  680 CE in Karbala, Iraq. Hussein is thought to
  have sacrificed his life to sustain Shiah Islam.
  These are intended on seeking Islamic solutions
  to any society, regardless of place or time.
• Can combine prayers to pray three times daily

http//edition.cnn.com/video//video/world/2006/03
/15/starr.iraq.civil.war.affl?irefvideosearch
55
Sufi

• Likely that the word sufi is derived from the
  word suf which means wool sufi named after
  the ascetic clothing they wore. Others claim
  that sufi is derived from the word safa which
  mean purity.
• Sufi represents the mystical arm of Islam. While
  all Muslims believe that one is on the pathway to
  God and will become close to God in Paradise,
  Sufis believe that this is also possible while
  alive.
• Goal in life seek the truth and develop both
  inward and outward spirituality so as to discover
  the reality of God.
• Emphasis is on sincerity, excellence, performing
  prayers and meditations. This helps to develop a
  constant and profound level of concentration. To
  accomplish this, Suffis employ physical methods
  such as playing Sufi music, chanting the name of
  God over and over again, or dancing (whirling
  dervishes).

56
Jihad Islamic Holy War

• Broadly speaking, Muslim fundamentalists are
  those who feel that the troubles of the Muslim
  world at the present time are the result not of
  insufficient modernization but of excessive
  modernization, which they see as a betrayal of
  authentic Islamic values. For them the remedy is
  a return to true Islam, including the abolition
  of all the laws and other social borrowings from
  the West and the restoration of Islamic Holy Law,
  the sharis, as the effective law of the land.
  From their point of view, the ultimate struggle
  is not against the Western intruder but against
  the Westernizing traitors at home. Their most
  dangerous enemies, as they see it, are the false
  and renegade Muslims who rule the countries of
  the Islamic world and who have imported and
  imposed infidel ways on Muslim people.
• Bernard Lewis, The Crisis of Islam

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Fundamentalism and Terrorism

• Muslim terrorism is an oxymoron one who
  practices Islam cannot be a terrorist.
• Muslim fundamentalism one who strictly adheres
  to the fundamentals of Islam, which can only be
  defined by the Quran and teachings of the
  Prophet Muhammad.
• True Islamic fundamentalism would never condone
  the crimes against humanity perpetrated by a
  small group of individuals.
• Acts of hatred, political killing, terrorism,
  oppression, religious extremism or zealotry, as
  well as forcing ones religion on another are
  contrary to the Quran.
• The Prophet Muhammad preached about generosity
  and compassion.
• Committing suicide and killing civilians are both
  forbidden in Islam. Those who do so, selecting
  extreme measures do not truly represent the
  actual tenets of the Islamic faith.
• There is a fear of Islam in the West. Fear
  mongers in the media create alienation, fear, and
  hatred. Is this not a type of terrorism as well?