Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Islam in a Pistachio Shell
As our generation sorts through the tensions between Islam and Christen-
dom, a rudimentary understanding of the Muslim faith is a good life skill
for any engaged non-Muslim. Here's an admittedly basic and simplistic out-
line designed to help travelers from the Christian West better understand a
complex and often misunderstood culture.
Muslims, like Christians and Jews, are monotheistic. h ey call God
“Allah.” h e key i gure in the Islamic faith is Muhammad, Allah's i nal
and most important prophet, who lived from A.D. 570 to 632. When
Muhammad's name appears in print, it's often followed by “PBUH”: Peace
Be Upon Him.
Just as Christians come in two basic varieties (Protestants and Catho-
lics), Muslims come in two branches. After Muhammad died in A.D. 632,
his followers argued over who should succeed him in leading his Islamic faith
and state, causing Islam to splinter into two rival factions. Today Shias (a.k.a.
“Shiites,” less than 15 percent of all Muslims) are concentrated in Iran and
Iraq, while Sunnis dominate the rest of the Islamic world (including Turkey
and Morocco).
h e “i ve pillars” of Islam are the same for all Muslims. Followers of
Islam should:
