Essential Question: In what ways does Islam impact the community within an Islamic society? Cleveland CH: 2

 Proclamation of Faith  Accepting there is only one God  Acceptance of Muhammad as the final prophet of God  Prayer  Preform prayer five times between dawn and sunset  Have to face Ka‘ba in Mecca  Fasting  During the month of Ramadan Muslims must abstain from food, drink and sex from dawn to dusk  The Pilgrimage to Mecca  For those who can afford it  At least one in their life  Alms  Charity for the less fortunate

 Jihad:  Means striving in the path of God  Also means armed struggle against non-Muslims for the purpose of expanding or defending the territory under Muslim rule  Ulama:  They are the ones who have studied Islam.  Serve a similar role as a priest.

 It is not a single code of laws but instead it consists of four different sources to which legal experts may refer to in the following order 1. The Quran 2. Sunnah: Traditions of Muhammad’s life 1. Stories from Muhammad’s life that act as guidance. 3. Qiyas: 1. If first two can not be applied it is solved by community leaders 4. Ijtihad: Decisions that are made are added to Shari‘ah Law for future reference.

Essential Question: What are differences in beliefs between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims?

 Women’s status varied from region to region but the Quran did outline some guidelines  Dowry  Payable only to the bride  Wife could keep dowry even in divorce  Allowed women the right to own material wealth  Limited man to four wives  All wives had to be treated equal  Women had grounds for Divorce  Could not initiate it  Allowed to inherit  Women had citizenship but did not have equal status with men.

 The Islamic world is divided into two major branches Sunnis and Shi‘as. The Fundamental difference is who should hold political leadership of the Islamic community and what the religious dimension of that leadership should be.  Sunnis (Tradition or Custom)  Majority  Accept the successors of the Umayyads dynasty as Caliph.  Mu’awiyah (Muhammad's Brother in-law) founder of Umayyads dynasty  Acknowledge the caliphs as mortal beings with no divine power.  Thus the Caliph is mortal their authority is temporal

 Shi‘as  Only direct descendants from Muhammad can be the leader or Imam.  Believe that Muhammad named his cousin and Son-in-law Ali as his successor  Believe that the Imam has divine inspiration and that he in turn passes it down to his successor.  Since Ali each Imam had designated a successor  The spilt began after Muhammad’s death over the succession of the caliphate  Civil war between Ali and Mu‘awiyah  Civil war had no clear victor but Ali died in 661 and Mu’awiyah became caliph and made sure his son Yazid succeeded him.  680 Husayn (Ali’s son) challenges Yazid and is killed in modern-day Iraq

 Shi’a split  Twelvers  Believe that the Imam was continually passed down until the 12 th Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi. Who in 874 disappeared but did not die and is leading them from a distance.  Believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi will come back someday  Seveners  Seveners differ in the line of succession from the 7 th to the 8 th Imam who’s line continues to modern day by Aga Khan