• Monotheistic• 1.3 billion followers• Founded by the Prophet Muhammad in

the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century CE

• "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission," which implies that a believer fully accepts the will of Allah, or God

• Mosque is the place of worship• Southwest Asia and North Africa,

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia

• Holy book is the Quran (Koran):• Comprised of divine revelations dictated

to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel from about 610 until Muhammad's death in 632.

• Muslims believe that the Quran in the holy original Arabic is the literal word of Allah transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad (the Messenger) for humanity

Arabic script on a leaf of the Koran, the holy book of Islam. Koran means "recitation" in Arabic, and the spoken Koran is believed to be the word of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. To Muslims, the Koran is the final testament of divine law.

1. Profession of faith, "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the prophet of God," must be recited at least once in a person's lifetime.

2. Muslims must pray five times daily facing Mecca (the holiest city in Islam)

3. Muslims must pay the zakat, an obligatory tax on possessions and cash.

4. Muslims must fast during daylight hours during Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

5. Muslims should make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime called the hajj.

• Eid al Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)• 4-day-long Muslim celebration of the Koranic story of Abraham, who

was asked by God to prove his devotion to Him by sacrificing his son.• Celebrated in Muslim countries around the world to commemorate

Abraham's devotion and God's decision to spare Ishmael. • Coincides with  the conclusion of the hajj• Traditionally sacrifice an animal for the feast, donating a portion

to the poor and sharing the rest with friends and family

• Season of Ramadan ends with festivities called Id (Eid) al-Fitr. (Fast-Breaking)• For 3 or f4 days, people visit one another and exchange gifts and

food. • In Muslim nations, businesses close, and the streets are crowded

with revelers. • Because the lunar calendar has only 355 days, the dates change

each year according to the Western calendar

• Shiism• Shiites (Shias) believe that the prophet Muhammad designated a successor—his son-in-law Ali—and that Ali's descendants are the only rightful Islamic leaders • Emerged in opposition to the political dominance of Sunnism in most areas

• Sunnism• Believe that the leadership of Islam passed from Muhammad in the seventh century to the caliph (religious leader) elected from Muhammad's tribe. (Any good Muslim male could be the caliph)

• "Arabian Peninsula, 1990." Map. World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.

• "Arabic script on a leaf of the Koran." Image. Multimedia Library. World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.

• "Feast of the Sacrifice." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.

• "Islam." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.

• "Islam." Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 16  Jan.  2013.Murphy, B. Keith, and Sherifa Zuhur. "Koran." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.

• http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=200%3Aramadan%3A-fourth-pillar-of-islam&cid=2%3Ageography-in-the-news

• Prophet's Mosque. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 16  Jan.  2013.  <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-120246>.

• "Shiism." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Sunnism." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan.

2013.