Islam ●1.3 billion Muslims, mostly in Middle East from N. Africa to Central Asia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India ●Islam means “submission to the will of God”, has a similar root to the word “peace”

5 Pillars of Islam ●1. There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet ●2. Pray 5 times/day, facing Mecca ●3. Alms giving (charity) ●4. Fasting during Ramadan ●5. Pilgrimage to Mecca if able

Branches of Islam ●2 main ones- Sunni (orthodox) and Shi’ite (sectarian) ●Sunni 83%, Shi’ite 16% ●Shi’ite concentrated in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan ●Muslims in W. Europe a legacy of colonialism and immigration. E. Europe- Ottoman Empire ●5 million Muslims in N. America

Nation of Islam ●Aka “Black Muslims” started in 1930’s in Detroit ●Led by Elijah Muhammad, advocated a separate nation within the US for themselves ●Malcolm X converted to orthodox Islam after a pilgrimage to Mecca, assassinated 1965

Buddhism ●400 million adherents ●Mainly in China and SE Asia ●4 Noble Truths: ●1. Life is suffering ●2. Suffering is caused by desire ●3. To eliminate suffering, eliminate desire ●4. To eliminate desire and achieve Nirvana, follow the Noble Eightfold Path- right beliefs, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, meditation

Buddha

Buddhist Branches ●Theravada “little raft” (38%), Mahayana “big raft” (56%), tantrayana “yoga” (6%) ●Buddhists can adhere to more than one Eastern religion.

Other Universalizing ●Sikhism- 25 million, mostly in Punjab region of India ●Kind of a combo of Islam and Buddhism ●Sikhs wear turbans and never cut beards/hair ●Baha’i- 8 million, dispersed mostly in Asia and Africa ●Baha’u’llah wanted to overcome disunity and establish universal faith by abolishing class, race, and religious prejudices