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CatholicNews ■ Sunday July 8, 2007 11

opinions, known as “fatwas”, others, Muslim women may


about specific issues, but all choose to dress no differently
individuals are not under any than their non-Muslim
Followers of Islam emphasize religious obligation to follow contemporaries. Likewise,
its laws and religious practice.
These laws – known as “sharia”
them.
Dietary rules include a
Muslim men sometimes are
required to wear beards and head
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about his life. Different groups Muslims is known as halal food.) there are different rules for men
of Muslims place varying As for wardrobes, men and and women about how to divorce
importance on these reports. For women are expected to dress a spouse. Even very early Islamic
instance, Sunni Muslims, who in a modest and dignified way. laws specifically protected
make up between 85 percent and In many places, this is defined the wife financially in case of
95 percent of the (worldwide) for women as meaning their divorce.
Islamic population, give it hair should be covered and their Islam permits men to take
different merit than do Shiite clothes should cover them from more than one wife under certain
Muslims, the next largest group. the neck to the knees. circumstances, including that the
(“Ijma” or consensus of the In some Islamic cultures, first wife must agree and local
community of Muslims, and women are required to wear a law allows it.
“qiyas” or analogical reasoning full-length robe called a “chador” (Children born into Islam
are generally regarded as the and a face-covering veil. In grow into their faith with no
third and fourth sources specific rite of initiation.
of sharia. Sharia covers They are taught their
all aspects of life, from religious duties which
state governance and become obligatory when
foreign relations, business they reach puberty. An
and employment, to adult converting to Islam
issues related to daily becomes a Muslim when
living. Some countries he or she declares the
with a majority Muslim statement of faith called
population have their “Shahadah”, before
Constitution and laws witnesses.)
based on the sharia, and Another Islamic term
in those countries Islamic that has been widely used
law is broadly enforced.) but little explained is
Common to all “jihad” (often wrongly
Muslims, however, are five translated as “Holy
fundamental obligations, War”). The word “jihad”
known as the five pillars of means struggle and can
Islam. They are: apply to any kind of
1) Profession of the daily effort to please
faith. Simply, “there God (such as striving to
is no God but God, live a moral and virtuous
and Mohammed is his life, defending Islam,
messenger”. and fighting persecution,
2) Worship. injustice and oppression).
Specifically, five-times- Muslims believe among
a-day prayers known as the highest levels of
“salat”. These prayers “jihad” are the internal
may be said at a mosque or Muslims gather at the Grand struggle against wrongdoing and
wherever else is convenient, but Mosque during the pilgrimage bearing witness to the faith. In
preferably in community with season. The mosque, which some uses of the word, “jihad”
other Muslims. can accommodate 1,000,000 and spiritual discipline are similar
3) Almsgiving, known as worshippers, contains the black in meaning.
“zakat”, which means purification stone of Kaʼaba , around which Islamic scholars say the type
and growth. Each Muslim worshippers circle counter of “jihad” in which arms are
calculates his own “zakat” based clockwise seven times and recite taken up in defense of Islam
on certain principles. prayers. Muslims are obligated to or a Muslim country can only
4) Fasting. Muslims are make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca be declared by the religious
obligated to abstain from food, in Saudi Arabia at least once, if leadership or a Muslim head
drink and sex from first light they are physically and financially of state who is guided by the
until sundown during the Islamic able. The season lasts for six days. Qurʼan and the Sunna. There is
calendarʼs month of Ramadan. The Kaaba was originally built by great debate within Islam about
5) Pilgrimage. A pilgrimage, Abraham and his son Ismael to whether anyone is qualified to
or “hajj”, to Mecca, Islamʼs worship God, and has been rebuilt invoke this kind of “jihad” today.
holiest city, at least once in a several times. This sacred cube is
lifetime is considered obligatory (This article was originally written
covered in black velvet with gold by Patricia Zapor of Catholic News
for those who are physically and needlework. All mosques around Service. Words within brackets are
financially able to make the trip. the world face the Kaʼaba. CNS photo added by CatholicNews.)
Like Christians, Muslims
believe God forgives sins. The
Qurʼan contains many passages
about the mercy of God.
Muslims also believe in a
judgement day, resurrection,
heaven and hell and angels.
Unlike Catholicism, Islam
has no central authority structure.
Religious scholars and others
educated in the Qurʼan provide
guidance and may issue legal

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