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Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, with around 1.6 billion followers, predominantly Sunni. The Quran, revealed to Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, serves as the holy text, guiding Islamic beliefs and practices. Muslims adhere to the Five Pillars, including daily prayers, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. With major populations in Indonesia, Pakistan, and India, Islam is marked by diverse cultural expressions. In the U.S., it constitutes about 2% of the population, facing both challenges and opportunities in a multicultural landscape.
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Islam today • 1.6 billion Muslims • Around 85% Sunni • 2.1 billion Christians • 900 million Hindus • 375 million Buddhists • 14 million Jews • Fastest growing religion • Multicultural • Largest Islamic population: Indonesia • Followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, India • Less than 15% of Muslims are Arab
Origins • Context: Arabia: polytheistic, tribal • Muhammad (570-632 CE) • Qu’ran records revelations to Muhammad • 610: vision of angel Gabriel • Other stories of his sayings and actions (Sunnah) recorded as Hadith • Night of Ascension • Unified Arabs and started missions out of Medina and Mecca (622-632) • Sees itself building on, correcting Judaism and Christianity
Five Pillars • Belief and witness • Daily prayer (5x) • Tithe (Zakat) • Must give 2.5% of wealth to needy • Shi’a give 20% of disposable income (half to clergy, half to needy) • Fasting • Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Jihad • “Striving” • “Sixth pillar” • Types • Greater: spiritual struggle • In self, for justice • Many regard as the dominant type • Lesser: physical struggle
Islam in America • About 2% of population (6 million) • Fastest growing • 4 waves of immigration (Eck 248) • Post-1965 largest • 80% of mosques founded since 1976 • Challenges/opportunities • Separation of church and state v. sharia • Multicultural makeup of mosques • Youth and culture (Eck 280ff)