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Islam
Islam is the most widely followed religion in the Middle East. About 20 percent of the world’s Muslims live in the Middle East. Islam is monotheistic, believing in Allah and follows the teaching of the written sacred text, the Qur’an. Islam is believed to be an extension of Judaism and Christianity with the belief that Muhammad is the final prophet of God, in a long chain of prophets, from Adam on down to John the Baptist, Jesus, and finally Muhammad. The majority of the Muslims are Sunni, followed by Shi’a. Smaller sects include the Ahmadiyya, Wahhabi, and nearly forty other denominations.
Sunni and Shi’a Islam
A major source of conflict in the Muslim Middle East is the divisive nature between the two main sects of Islam: Sunni and Shi’a. Sunni is the largest branch of Islam and dominates most countries in the Middle East. Shi’a have their largest populations in Iraq (60-65 percent), Iran (90–96 percent), Lebanon (27–35 percent), the Zaydi in Yemen (45 percent) and Bahrain (75-80 percent) and are generally scattered otherwise. Minority Shi’a communities are also found in Turkey as the Alevi sect (20-25 percent), Saudi Arabia (10-15 percent), and Syria (15 percent). Though these two sects agree on the fundamentals of Islam and the teachings of the Qur’an, they are in conflict about who would lead the Muslim community after the Prophet Muhammad’s death. The Battle of Siffin (May–July 657 AD, occurred during the first Muslim civil war), was a significant schism between the two sects. Throughout the years, other differences have arisen between practices, beliefs and culture. Many conflicts between the two communities have occurred.
Rather than repeat what I’ve already posted about Islam, I would encourage you to read the postings, themselves. Once you understand the tenets of Islam, and Shari’a law, it is not a complicated religion. Shari’a speaks to almost all ways of life, and is governed by the three sacred texts of the Qur’an, hadiths, and the Sunnah.
Islam
513 – 007
https://discerning-Islam.org
Last Update: 04/2021
