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Islam Islam is the largest religious minority in India. Its followers are known as Muslims (Moslems). Islam means “submission to God.” About ten percent of the Indian population is Muslim (about 110 million people). India has one of the biggest Muslim populations in the world. The holy book of Islam is the Koran. The messenger Muhammad (570–632) founded Islam. He was born in 570 AD at Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. He had his first divine manifestation from Allah (God) in 610. He preached against idol worship, which at that time was popular in Mecca. Islam is considered to have been founded in 622 AD, which is when Muhammad and his followers were exiled from Mecca and made the hijra, or the “going to Medina” (“City of the Prophet”) journey. Muhammad led his people into battles against the Meccans, under the jihad understanding that it was on behalf of God. This was the beginning of the concept of “holy war,” which helped the Muslims expand Islam. Mecca surrendered to Muhammad in 630, and it then became the pilgrimage center for Islam. To become a Muslim one simply has to declare, “La illaha illa ’llah Muhammad Rasulu ’llah’”: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” Muslims believe that the body is resurrected after death. They believe that if someone worships Allah, they will go to heaven at death, which is a place of pleasure; if one does not worship Allah, he will go to hell, a place of eternal suffering and torture. The teachings of the Muslims closely follow the Bible’s Old Testament. Moses and Jesus are considered to be Muslim prophets, but Jesus is not accepted as the son of God. Muslims believe that it is sinful to worship images of God. This is why they destroyed the temples and deities in India. Muslims are expected to pray daily at dawn, noon, in the afternoon, sunset, and at night. They must give charity to the poor. They must try to go on pilgrimage to the Ka’aba in Mecca at least once in a lifetime (make the hajj—one who has undergone this pilgrimage is called a hajji). Muslims must fast during the month of Ramadan. Friday is the Sabbath, and the main mosque in a town is known as the Jama Masjid or Friday Mosque. The main worship is performed at noon on Fridays. Mosques usually have a round dome, a mihrab to indicate the direction of Mecca, high minarets, a balcony for women, a water tank, and a mimbar or platform from which the Friday prayer is led. Muslims follows various prohibitions: no alcohol, no gambling, no eating of pork, and they are not permitted to charge interest for loans. Islam split into two sects in the first century of its existence, now known as the Sunnis and Shi’is. Both sects believe in the holiness of the Koran, but they disagree both on Muhammad’s successor and on the interpretation of certain verses in the Koran. The Sunnis are a majority in Southeast Asia. They believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor, and that after his death, the first three caliphs (representatives) were Abu Bak’r, Omar, and Uthman, and that Ali, Muhammad ’s son-in-law, was the fourth caliph. The Shi’is believe that Ali was the first rightful caliph, and that Omar and Abu Bak’r were usurpers. Sufi Muslims practice renunciation and self-denial for God’s service. They use music and dance to come closer to God, which more orthodox Muslims would not use. July 16, 622 AD is the first day of the Muslim calendar. This is the day that Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina. Each year is divided into 12 lunar months, each lasting from twenty-nine to thirty-nine days. Women in strictly orthodox communities usually wear a black burqa, an outfit that covers them from head to toe, with a face veil. Islam is the major religion in most of the Middle East, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Beginning in the 12th century and lasting for about six hundred years, most of Northern India was controlled by Muslim rulers. The Muslim Mughal Empire eventually spread over most of India. Despite their long rule, only about twenty-five percent of the population converted to Islam. Most of these people came from lower castes, as Islam provided them the opportunity to escape from their socially designated roles. If you know of a informationthat is not correct or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at:
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