Islam the Religion of Peace (Part 2)

The Five Pillars, or primary duties, of Islam are profession of faith, prayer, to be performed five times a day; almsgiving to the poor and the mosque (house of worship); fasting during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan; and pilgrimage to Makkah (the hajj) at least once in a Muslim's lifetime, if it is physically and financially possible. The pilgrimage includes homage to the ancient shrine of the Ka'aba, the most sacred site in Islam.

Muslims gather for corporate worship on Fridays. Prayers and a sermon take place at the mosque, which is also a center for teaching of the Qur'an. The community leader, the imam, is considered a teacher and prayer leader. Islam succeeded in uniting an Arab world of separate tribes and castes, but disagreements concerning the succession of the prophet caused a division In Islam between two groups, Sunnis and Shi'ites. The Shi'ites rejected the first three successors to Muhammad (PBUH) as usurpers, claiming the fourth, Muhammad’s (PBUH) son in-law AM, as the rightful leader.

The Sunnis (from the word tradition), the largest division of Islam (today more than 80%), believe in the legitimacy of the first three successors. Among these, other sects arose (such as the conservative Wahhabi of Saudi Arabia), as well as different schools of theology. Another development within Islam, beginning in the eighth and ninth centuries, was Sufism, a form of mysticism. This movement was influential for many centuries and was instrumental in the spread of Islam in Asia and Africa.

Islam has expanded greatly under Muhammad’s (PBUH) successors. It is the principal religion of the Middle East, Asia and the northern half of Africa.

Top 10 Muslim Countries as per Population:

1.	Indonesia	213 Million
2.	India	200 Million
3.	Pakistan	180 Million
4.	Bangladesh	129 Million
5.	Egypt	70.53 Million
6.	Turkey	68.96 Million
7.	Iran	67.33 Million
8.	Nigeria	64.38 Million
9.	Ethiopia	37.53 Million
10.	Morocco	32.30 Million