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Table of Contents Foreword by Frederick S. Colby 17 Preface 21 Section One: A Brief Introduction to Islam Overview 31 The Teachings of Islam 1 Essential Beliefs and Practices 33 Islam 33 The Five Pillars of Islam 34 The First Pillar 34 The Second Pillar 35 The Third Pillar 37 The Fourth Pillar 37 The Fifth Pillar 38 Jihad 39 Other Important Beliefs 40 The Quran 41 The Importance of Arabic 42 The Prophet Muhammad 42 Hadith and Legends 43 Relationship to Christianity and Judaism 45 Islamic Law 45 2 Divisions Within Islam 47 Sunni, Shia, Ibadi 47 Schools of Law 48 Wahhabism 49 Sufism 50 Popular and Orthodox Islam 51 The History of Islam 3 Arabia Before Islam 53 Lifestyle and Values 53 Religion 54 4 The Prophet Muhammad and the Birth of Islam 57 The Early Life of the Prophet Muhammad 57 The Founding of Islam 58 The First Islamic Community 61 The Growth of Islam in Arabia 63 5 The Spread of Islam and the Age of Islamic Empires 65 The Rightly Guided Caliphs 65 The Umayyad Caliphate 67 The Abbasid Caliphate 67 Other Caliphates 68 Muslim Spain 69 The Crusades 71 The Spread of Islam and the Treatment of Religious Minorities 73 The Sultanates 75 The 20th Century and Beyond 78 6 The Achievements of Islamic Civilization 79 The House of Wisdom 79 Philosophy 80 Mathematics and Physics 81 Medicine 82 Visual Arts 82 Calligraphy 83 Poetry 86 Architecture 87 The Influence of Arabic on the English Language 90 Muslims Today 7 Moving Beyond Stereotypes 93 Violence and Peace 93 Fanaticism and Fairness 97 Strict Observance and Moderate Observance 99 Islamic Fundamentalism 99 Diversity of Interpretation and Practice 100 Male and Female Roles and Status 102 Gender Segregation and Women's Involvement in Public Life 104 Ethnicity and Media Images 109 8 The Geography of Islam 111 Islam in Asia 111 Islam in the Arab Countries and the Middle East 113 Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa 114 Islam in Europe 114 Islam in North and South America 115 9 Holy Places of Islam 119 Mecca 119 Medina 122 Jerusalem 124 Other Holy Sites 127 Additional Resources 129 Section Two: Religious Customs and Folklore Overview 139 10 Formal Prayer 141 The Difference Between Formal and Informal Prayer 141 Call to Prayer 141 Washing 142 Clothing for Formal Prayer (Salat) 145 Prayer Rugs and Places to Pray 145 Exemptions 146 Prayer Times 146 Words and Movements of Formal Prayer 146 Rules for Congregational Prayer 150 11 Informal Prayer 151 How and When to Offer Informal Prayers 151 Examples of Composed Prayers 151 Posture and Gestures 153 12 Other Devotional Customs 155 Prayer Beads 155 The 99 Names of God 156 Allah 158 Dhikr 158 Mealtime Prayers 159 Fasting 159 Charity 160 Intention 160 13 Mosque 161 Place of Prostration 161 Gathering Place and Hospitality Center 161 Architectural Features 163 Imam and Muezzin 164 Friday Services 166 Separation of Men and Women 167 When Visiting a Mosque 169 14 Quran 171 Pious Customs 171 Other Names 172 Memorization and Recitation 172 15 Muhammad 175 "Peace Be Upon Him" 175 Images of the Prophet 176 Muhammad's Descendants 177 Muhammad's Example 177 Poems and Songs 178 Blessings 179 Other Names 180 16 The Other Prophets, Angels, and Jinn 181 Prophets Recognized by Islam 181 The Most Important Prophets 182 Angels 184 Jinn 184 17 Greetings and Sayings 187 Shake Hands, Kiss, or Nod 187 As-Salam Alaykum 188 Basmallah 188 Inshallah 188 Ma Sha Allah 189 Allahu Akbar 189 Al-Hamdu Lillah 189 Barakallah 189 18 Clothing and Adornment 191 Men's Clothing 191 Women's Clothing 193 Henna 194 Perfume 196 19 Separation of the Sexes 197 In Public 197 At Home 198 20 Beliefs and Practices Concerning the Body 199 Cleanliness and Purity 199 Left and Right 201 Feet 202 Hair 202 Alterations 202 21 The Evil Eye, Amulets, and Charms 203 The Evil Eye 203 Protection from the Evil Eye 203 Good Manners When Looking 204 Amulet Controversies 204 Popular Types of Amulets 204 22 Food 207 Forbidden and Permitted Foods 207 Avoidance of Forbidden Foods 208 23 The Life Cycle and Conversion 209 Birth 209 Names and Naming 211 Male Circumcision 212 Female Circumcision 214 Khatma or Ameen Ceremony 215 Puberty 215 Courtship 216 Marriage 218 Death and Preparation for Burial 219 Funerals 220 The Afterlife 222 Mourning 222 Conversion to Islam 224 Conversion from Islam 225 24 Symbols 227 Crescent Moon 227 Quran 227 Kaba 228 Colors 229 Odd Numbers 230 25 Animals 231 Dogs 231 Cats 232 Pigs 232 Treatment of Animals 232 26 Dance, Music, Poetry, and Story 233 Social Dancing 233 Religious Dancing 234 Islamic Attitudes Towards Music 235 Sufi and Devotional Songs 235 Poetry 236 Legends Concerning Saints, Prophets, and Famous People 236 Folktales and Sufi Teaching Stories 237 Additional Resources 241 Section Three: Calendar System, Holidays, and Other Days of Observance Overview 249 27 The Muslim Calendar 251 Introduction 251 The Christian Era, the Muslim Era, and the Founding of the Muslim Calendar 252 The Ancient Arab Calendar and the Muslim Calendar 254 Months in the Muslim Calendar 256 Days in the Muslim Calendar 258 Weeks in the Muslim Calendar 258 Years in the Muslim Calendar 258 28 The First of Muharram 259 New Year's Day 259 29 Ashura 261 The Example of the Prophet, Sunni Customs, and Muslim Lore 262 The Martyrdom of Husayn 262 Mourning Ceremonies 263 Pilgrimage to Karbala 265 Foods 267 Ashura Around the World 268 India 268 Iran 270 Trinidad 272 Turkey 274 30 Mulid al-Nabi 275 History 275 Poems 276 Mulid al-Nabi Around the World 278 Egypt 278 Kenya 280 Sudan 280 Turkey 280 31 Laylat al-Miraj 283 Laylat al-Miraj According to the Quran 283 The Folklore of the Night Journey and Ascent 285 Impact and Interpretations 288 Celebrations 288 32 Laylat al-Bara'ah 291 Birthday of the Twelfth Imam 291 The Night of Forgiveness 292 India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan 293 The Month of Shaban 295 33 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 297 What is Ramadan? 297 The Origin of Ramadan 297 The Month of Revelations 298 Sighting the New Moon 298 Waking Up Early 300 Suhur 300 Fasting 301 Daytime Activities 303 Breaking the Fast 303 Iftar 305 Evening Festivities 305 Quran Reading and Chanting 305 Pardons 306 Prayers 306 Zakat 308 The Spirituality of Ramadan 308 Ramadan in the Quran 310 Ramadan Poems 311 Eid al-Fitr 313 34 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr Around the World 315 Egypt 315 Indonesia 318 Iran 320 Iraq 321 Kuwait 321 Lebanon 321 Mauritius 322 Morocco 322 Nigeria 324 Oman 325 Pakistan 326 Palestinian Territory 326 Qatar 329 Saudi Arabia 330 Senegal 332 Singapore 332 Syria 333 Turkey 334 United States 336 Yemen 338 35 Laylat al-Qadr 339 Ten Days of Prayer 339 Laylat al-Qadr in the Quran and in Muslim Folklore 341 A Night of Prayer 342 Iran and Shia Muslims 343 36 Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca 345 Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael 345 The Founding of the Hajj According to the Quran 348 The History of the Hajj 349 Preparations for the Hajj 351 Before Entering Mecca 352 Rules While on Pilgrimage 353 The Prayer of the Pilgrim 354 Before the Pilgrimage Starts 354 First Day 357 Second Day 358 Third Day 360 Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Days 362 37 Eid al-Adha 363 Other Names 363 Abraham 364 The Origin of the Holiday 365 Religious Observances 365 Foods and Customs 367 Children's Customs in Bahrain and Countries of the Persian Gulf 369 Hajj Pilgrims 370 Controversies 370 38 Friday 371 Thursday and Thursday Evenings 372 Friday Prayer Service 372 Other Friday Activities and Beliefs 374 39 Hidrellez 375 Khidr in the Quran 375 Khidr in Folklore 377 Hidrellez in Turkey 377 40 Lamp Nights 379 41 White Nights 381 42 Saints and Their Festivals 383 Saints in Islam 383 Devotion to the Saints 383 Rejection of the Saints 384 Shrines 385 Urs and Mulids 385 Pilgrimage to Shrines 386 Saints' Festivals 388 43 A Closer Look at a Few Saints' Festivals 389 Mulid of Shaykh Yusuf Abu el-Haggag 389 The Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh 390 The Urs of Baba Farid Shakar Ganj 392 Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Sunan Bayat 393 Moussem of Moulay Idriss 396 The Grand Magal of Shaykh Amadou Bamba 397 The Urs of Jelaluddin al-Rumi 400 The Life of Jelaluddin al-Rumi 400 Rumi's Poetry and the Mevlevi Order 401 The Festival 403 The Dance of the Whirling Dervishes 405 Pilgrimage 407 Another Rumi Festival 407 Additional Resources 409 Glossary 423 Topical Bibliography 443 Photo Credits 475 Index 479
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
Islam.
Muslims.
Islam -- Essence, genius, nature.
Islam -- Doctrines.
Islam -- Customs and practices.