IWRBS - ISLAM.pdf

ISLAM FOUNDER QUESTION WHAT DO YOU THINK MUHAMMAD IS LIKE? ○A.)MUHAMMAD WAS BORN FROM ROYALTY TO BE A LEADER OF THE A GREAT TRIBE, TO BE ITS SUCCESSOR ○B.)MUHAMMAD IS A STRONG LEADER, COMING FROM A MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY. ○C.)MUHAMMAD IS A POOR FELLA FROM A POOR CLAN AND HE HAS NO QUALI...

ISLAM FOUNDER QUESTION WHAT DO YOU THINK MUHAMMAD IS LIKE? ○A.)MUHAMMAD WAS BORN FROM ROYALTY TO BE A LEADER OF THE A GREAT TRIBE, TO BE ITS SUCCESSOR ○B.)MUHAMMAD IS A STRONG LEADER, COMING FROM A MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY. ○C.)MUHAMMAD IS A POOR FELLA FROM A POOR CLAN AND HE HAS NO QUALITIES OF BEING A LEADER. MUHAMMAD IBN ABD ALLAH WAS BORN IN MECCA AROUND 570 CE, TO AN ARAB CLAN CALLED BANU HASHIM. HE WAS ORPHANED AT AN EARLY AGE OF SIX, AND IT WAS HIS GRANDFATHER WHO TOOK CARE OF HIM. TWO YEARS LATER, HIS GRANDFATHER DIED AND SO HIS UNCLE ABU TALIB, HEAD OF THE HASHIM CLAN, TOOK CARE OF HIM. QUESTION WHAT AGE DID YOU THINK MUHAMMAD GOT MARRIED? ○A.) 18 ○B.) 25 ○C.) 69 ○D.) HE NEVER GOT MARRIED MUHAMMAD BECAME A TRADER AND WORKED UNDER KHADILA, A WIDOWED MERCHANT. SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLDER THAN HIM, BUT HE MARRIED HER LATER AND BECOMING THE FIRST TO BELIEVE THE ROLE OF MUHAMMAD AS A PROPHET. MUHAMMAD PERSONAL LIFE, MILITARY AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT WAS COLLECTED AND GATHERED INTO A BOOK CALLED HADITH, A PART FROM THE QU’RAN. HISTORY QUESTION WHAT IS THE HOLIEST CITY FOR THE ISLAMIC TRADITION ○A. MECCA ○B. MEDINA ○C. SAUDI ARABIA MUHAMMAD BEGAN HAVING VISIONS AND HEARING VOICES. SEARCHING FOR CLARITY, HE WOULD SOMETIMES MEDITATE AT MOUNT HIRA, NEAR MECCA. ON ONE OF THESE OCCASIONS, THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL (JIBRA'IL IN ARABIC) APPEARED TO HIM AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO RECITE "IN THE NAME OF [YOUR] LORD." INITIALLY OVERWHELMED BY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WAS BEING REVEALED TO HIM, MUHAMMAD FOUND UNFLINCHING SUPPORT IN HIS WIFE AND SLOWLY BEGAN TO ATTRACT FOLLOWERS. HIS STRONG MONOTHEISTIC MESSAGE ANGERED MANY OF THE MECCAN MERCHANTS. THEY WERE AFRAID THAT TRADE, WHICH THEY BELIEVED WAS PROTECTED BY THE PAGAN GODS, WOULD SUFFER. FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, MUHAMMAD WAS OSTRACIZED IN MECCA. FOR A TIME, THE INFLUENCE AND STATUS OF HIS WIFE AND HIS UNCLE, ABU TALIB, THE CHIEF OF THE CLAN, PROTECTED MUHAMMAD FROM PERSECUTION. AFTER THEY DIED, HOWEVER, MUHAMMAD'S SITUATION IN MECCA BECAME DIRE. EMIGRATION BECAME THE ONLY HOPE FOR MUHAMMAD AND HIS FOLLOWERS' SURVIVAL. IN 622, THEY HEADED TO MEDINA, ANOTHER OASIS TOWN, WHERE THEY WERE PROMISED FREEDOM TO PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION. THE MOVE FROM MECCA TO MEDINA IS KNOWN AS THE HIJRA. IN MEDINA, MUHAMMAD CONTINUED TO RECEIVE DIVINE REVELATIONS AND BUILT AN EVER-EXPANDING COMMUNITY AROUND THE NEW FAITH. THE CONFLICT WITH THE QURAISH CONTINUED, THE QUARAISH TRIBE HAS A BIGGER ARMY 3:1 QUESTION WHAT DID YOU THINK HAPPENED NEXT ○A.) THE MUSLIMS USED THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE QUARAYSH TRIBE SURRENDERED WHEN MUHAMMAD BROUGHT WITH HIM GUNS ○B.) THE MUSLIMS USED THE POWER OF GOD AND SCIENCE THEY CREATED SMALL POX AND IT DEFEATED THE TRIBE ○C.) THE MUSLIMS USED THE POWER OF GOD FIGHTING AGAINST THE ODDS. BUT AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF VIOLENT CLASHES, MECCA SURRENDERED. MUHAMMAD AND HIS FOLLOWERS SOON RETURNED AND TOOK OVER THE CITY, DESTROYING ALL ITS PAGAN IDOLS AND SPREADING THEIR BELIEF IN ONE GOD. ACCOUNTS OF THE ASCENSION (MI'RAJ ) OF MUHAMMAD HAVE CAPTURED THE IMAGINATIONS OF WRITERS AND PAINTERS FOR CENTURIES. ONE NIGHT, WHILE THE PROPHET WAS SLEEPING, THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL CAME AND LED HIM ON A JOURNEY. MOUNTED ON THE HEAVENLY STEED BURAQ, MUHAMMAD TRAVELED FROM THE KA'BA IN MECCA TO THE "FARTHEST MOSQUE," WHICH MUSLIMS BELIEVE TO BE THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE IN JERUSALEM. THERE HE PRAYED WITH OTHER PROPHETS SUCH AS MOSES, ABRAHAM, AND JESUS, AND ASCENDED TO THE SKIES, WHERE HE WAS LED BY GABRIEL THROUGH PARADISE AND HELL, AND FINALLY CAME FACE TO FACE WITH GOD. HE THEN RETURNED TO EARTH TO CONTINUE SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM. ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC BELIEF, MUHAMMAD WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO SEE HEAVEN AND HELL WHILE STILL ALIVE. WHEN MUHAMMAD DIED IN 632, HE HAD NOT NAMED A SUCCESSOR. ONE FACTION, THE SHI'A, BELIEVED THAT ONLY INDIVIDUALS WITH DIRECT LINEAGE TO THE PROPHET COULD GUIDE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY RIGHTEOUSLY. THEY THOUGHT THAT 'ALI, MUHAMMAD'S CLOSEST SURVIVING BLOOD MALE RELATIVE, SHOULD BE THEIR NEXT LEADER (CALIPH). THE OTHER FACTION, THE SUNNIS, BELIEVED THAT THE PROPHET'S SUCCESSOR SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY CONSENSUS AND SUCCESSIVELY ELECTED THREE OF HIS MOST TRUSTED COMPANIONS, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE RIGHTLY GUIDED CALIPHS (ABU BAKR, 'UMAR, AND 'UTHMAN), AS LEADERS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY; 'ALI SUCCEEDED THEM AS THE FOURTH CALIPH. TODAY THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY REMAINS DIVIDED INTO SUNNI AND SHI'I BRANCHES. SUNNIS REVERE ALL FOUR CALIPHS, WHILE SHI'IS REGARD 'ALI AS THE FIRST SPIRITUAL LEADER. THE RIFT BETWEEN THESE TWO FACTIONS HAS RESULTED IN DIFFERENCES IN WORSHIP AS WELL AS POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS. SUNNIS ARE IN THE MAJORITY AND OCCUPY MOST OF THE MUSLIM WORLD, WHILE SHI'I POPULATIONS ARE CONCENTRATED IN IRAN AND IRAQ, WITH SIZEABLE NUMBERS IN BAHRAIN, LEBANON, KUWAIT, TURKEY, PAKISTAN, AND AFGHANISTAN. SACRED BOOKS THE QUR’AN, SACRED TEXT OF ISLAM, IS BELIEVED TO BE THE LITERAL WORD OF ALLAH. QUR’AN IS WRITTEN IN ARABIC AND IT IS ETERNAL AND UNCHAGEABLE. THE QUR’AN CONSISTS OF 114 CHAPTER OR SURAHS, EACH COMPOSED OF VERSES OR AYAHS. THE SHORTER CHAPTERS ARE CALLED MECCAN SURAHS BECAUSE IT WAS REVEALED TO MUHAMMAD IN MECCA, WHILE THE LONGER ONES ARE CALLED, MEDINAN CHAPTERS, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN REVEALED LATER WHEN MUHAMMAD WAS IN MEDINA. THE INTELLECTUAL EXPLANATION OF QUR’AN IS CALLED TAFSIR, WRITTEN BY MUFASSIR. PLACE OF WORSHIP A MOSQUE IS A PLACE WHERE MUSLIMS WORSHIP AND PRAY TO GOD. SOME MOSQUES ARE ALSO PLACES WHERE MUSLIMS GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS THINGS OR WHERE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TAKES PLACE. IN SOME COUNTRIES MOSQUES ALSO SERVE POLITICAL PURPOSES AND I MAMS DISCUSS POLITICAL ISSUES.  RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION  AN IMAM IS THE SPIRITUAL HEAD OF A MUSLIM COMMUNITY. ○THE IMAM AT A MOSQUE IS SIMPLY A TEACHER, A LEARNED PERSON OR A PRAYER LEADER. EVERY MOSQUE HAS AN IMAM ○AND AN ASSISTANT IMAM THAT TAKES THE PLACE OF THE IMAM IF HE IS SICK OR OUT OF TOWN, OR STEPS IN IF THE IMAM STUMBLES OR FORGETS A VERSE. SHEIK MEANS TEACHER. IT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO A MAN ADMIRED FOR HIS PIETY. SHEIKS ARE SOMETIMES IMAM OR PREACHERS. THEY ARE OFTEN ALSO CHIEFS, VILLAGE LEADERS OR EVEN THE LEADER OF A LARGE TRIBE OR NATION. MANY VILLAGES HAVE AN ELDER SPIRITUAL LEADER WHO IS REGARDED AS THE KEEPER OF THE KORAN.  A KHATIBIS A MUSLIM PREACHER OR ORATOR. IN THE OLD DAYS HE OFTEN CARRIED A PREACHING STAFF AND BEGAN HIS SERMONS WITH BLESSING FOR ALLAH, THE PROPHET AND HIS FAMILY AND THEN THE CURRENT POLITICAL LEADER. A HAFIZIS A MAN WHO HAS MEMORIZED THE KORAN.  BELIEF SYSTEM ISLAM IS A RELIGION THAT EMPHASIZES ON THE COMMUNITY, THE UMMAH. “THE GOAL OF THE MUSLIM SOCIETY IS TO CREATE A JUST SOCIETY”. ISLAM MEANS SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF THE ONE GOD, AND HE IS CALLED ALLAH IN ARABIC. ISLAM SEEMS TO BE THE THIRD AND THE FINAL REVELATION OF THE ABRAHAMIC MONOTHEISTIC TRADITION. MUHAMMAD IS THE PROPHET OF ISLAM AND HE IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ‘THE SEAL OF PROPHETS’; HE IS THE LAST PROPHET. AND IT BELIEVES THAT THERE WILL BE NO OTHER REVELATION UNTIL THE END OF HUMAN HISTORY AS IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE FINAL CHAPTERS OF THE QUR’AN. “THEREIS NO GOD BUT GOD” AND THAT “MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH”. THE PROPHET ASSERTED THAT HE BROUGHT NOTHING NEW BUT REAFFIRMED THE TRUTH THAT ALWAYS WAS. THE QUR’AN EMPHASIZES THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITY AND ONENESS OF GOD AND THE QUR’AN IS SUPPOSED TO CORRECT THE MISTAKEN INTERPRETATIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN. THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE FAITH OF THE MUSLIM. THEY FOLLOW AND PRACTICES THESE PILLARS AS MENTIONED IN THE QUR’AN. A. SHAHADAH (CREED) - “THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH, AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER”. THIS CREED SUMMARIZES THE FAITH OF ALL MUSLIM.  B. SALAT (PRAYER) - MUSLIMS PRAY FIVE TIMES A DAY: BEFORE DAWN, MIDDAY, MID AFTERNOON, SUNSET, AND NIGHT TIME FACING TO MECCA. THERE IS A SPECIAL ARCHED NICHE CALLED MIHRAB INSIDE THE MOSQUE THAT INDICATES THE QIBLA, THE DIRECTION OF THE KAABA IN MECCA C. ZAKAT (CHARITY) - MUSLIM DONATE CERTAIN PERCENTAGES OF THEIR WAGES TO THE POOR.  D. SAWM (FASTING ON RAMADAN) - PEOPLE ABSTAIN FROM FOOD, DRINKS, TOBACCO, AND SEX FROM DAWN UNTIL DUSK TO DISCIPLE ONESELF, TO DEVELOP SYMPATHY FOR THE POOR AND HUNGRY, AND TO GIVE TO OTHERS WHAT ONE WOULD HAVE EATEN.  E. HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA) - PILGRIMAGE IS A “RELIGIOUS JOURNEY BY A BELIEVER TO A SACRED CITY OR SITE. ALL MUSLIM ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT MECCA AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME. 6 PILLARS OF FAITH 1. BELIEF IN GOD (ALLAH) ISLAM TEACHES THAT THERE IS ONE UNIQUE GOD (ALLAH) WHO SHOULD BE WORSHIPPED AND OBEYED. 2. BELIEF IN MALA-EKA (ANGELS) MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT ALLAH CREATED UNSEEN CREATURES SUCH AS ANGELS. MUSLIMS BELIEVE IN THEIR EXISTENCE, THEIR NAMES, THEIR TASKS, AND DESCRIPTIONS AS EXPLAINED IN THE QURAN AND IN THE SUNNAH (TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET). 3. BELIEF IN THE BOOKS OF ALLAH MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT ALLAH FROM TIME TO TIME REVEALED BOOKS TO MANKIND THROUGH HIS PROPHETS. THESE BOOKS ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME DIVINE SOURCE; THEY ARE ALL DIVINE REVELATIONS. MUSLIMS BELIEVE IN THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF THESE BOOKS WHEN THEY WERE REVEALED. THE FIVE PROMINENT DIVINE BOOKS ARE: 1) ABRAHAM'S SCROLLS; 2) ZABUR (PSALMS) REVEALED TO PROPHET DAVID; 3) TAWRAH (TORAH) REVEALED TO PROPHET MOSES; 4) INJIL (GOSPEL) REVEALED TO PROPHET JESUS; 5) QURAN REVEALED TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD. 4.BELIEF IN THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT ALLAH SENT PROPHETS TO ALL MANKIND AS MESSENGERS FOR THEIR GUIDANCE. MUSLIMS BELIEVE IN THEIR EXISTENCE, THEIR NAMES, AND THEIR MESSAGES, AS ALLAH AND HIS PROPHET INFORMED ABOUT THEM. PROPHETS ARE VOID OF DIVINITY BECAUSE DIVINITY IS EXCLUSIVE ONLY TO ALLAH (GOD) THE ALMIGHTY. THEY ARE ALL RIGHTEOUS, TRUTHFUL, AND PIOUS MEN CHOSEN BY ALLAH TO BE MODELS TO ALL MANKIND, BOTH THEIR WORDS AND DEEDS BEING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIVINE COMMANDMENTS. 5. BELIEF IN YAWM AL-QIYAMA (DAY OF JUDGEMENT) MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD AND ALL THAT IS IN IT WILL COME TO AN END ON ONE APPOINTED DAY, WHEN EVERYTHING WILL BE ANNIHILATED. THIS DAY WILL RESURRECT ALL THE DEAD; ALLAH WILL JUDGE WITH PERFECT JUSTICE EACH PERSON INDIVIDUALLY ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD OR BAD ACTIONS THAT HE DID DURING HIS LIFE, AND EVERY VICTIM WILL HAVE HIS/ HER RIGHTS. ALLAH WILL REWARD THOSE WHO LEAD A RIGHTEOUS LIFE AND DID GOOD DEEDS BY SENDING THEM TO PARADISE (JANNAH). ALLAH FORGIVES WHOM HE PLEASES OF THOSE WHO DISOBEYED HIS COMMAND, OR PUNISH THEM IN THE HELLFIRE (JAHANNAM). 6. QADA WAL-QADA (DESTINY, DIVINE DECREE) MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS ENTIRELY UNDER THE DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF ALLAH,. THEN EVERYTHING THAT IS OR THAT HAPPENS IN THIS UNIVERSE, FROM THE SMALLEST TO THE GREATEST EVENT IS GOVERNED BY ALLAH. MUSLIMS PUT THEIR TRUST IN ALLAH ONLY.  CORE OF ISLAMIC LAW OR SHARIAH THE CORE OF ISLAMIC LAW IS PRESERVATION OF: 1) RELIGION 2) LIFE 3) FAMILY 4) MIND 5) WEALTH 6) SOME CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS SUGGEST EITHER JUSTICE OR LIBERTY TO BE THE SIXTH CATEGORY.  SIGN & SYMBOL THE STAR AND CRESENT: IT IS THE BEST-KNOWN SYMBOL USED TO REPRESENT ISLAM. THE SYMBOL IS NOT MUSLIM IN ORIGIN. THE CRESCENT AND STAR ARE OFTEN SAID TO BE ISLAMIC SYMBOLS, BUT HISTORIANS SAY THAT THEY WERE THE INSIGNIA OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, NOT OF ISLAM AS A WHOLE "ALLAH" IN ARABIC: THE WORDS "ALLAH" IN ARABIC SCRIPT OR CHARACTERS CAN BE REGARDED AS VISUALLY REPRESENTING ISLAM AS A SYMBOL. DIET FOOD CAN BE DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL CATEGORIES: a)HALAL, THAT WHICH IS PERMITTED TO EAT; b) HARAM, THAT WHICH IS FORBIDDEN TO EAT; c)MAKROOH, THAT WHICH IS DOUBTFUL; AND d)MASH-BOOH, THAT WHICH IS SUSPECT. DRUGS FOR RECREATIONAL AND NOT MEDICAL PURPOSES ARE CONSIDERED FORBIDDEN, OR HARAM. ALCOHOL IN ANY FORM IS CONSIDERED WRONG AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED, EVEN IN MEDICINE PORK IS FORBIDDEN FOR NUMEROUS REASONS, MOST OF THEM HEALTH RELATED ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE FOLLOWING WAY MAY NOT BE EATEN BY MUSLIMS: 1. STRANGULATION 2. FALLING 3. BEATING 4. FOUND DEAD THE CORRECT WAY TO SLAUGHTER AN ANIMAL 1.SAY THE NAME OF GOD ALOUD AND TO FACE MECCA WHEN PERFORMING THE ACT. 2.THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOT BE HUNGRY OR THIRSTY AT THE TIME AND THE KNIFE SHOULD NOT BE SHARPENED IN FRONT OF THE ANIMAL. 3.THE SLAUGHTER MUST ALSO BE DONE BY A MUSLIM. 4.WHEN DONE THE KNIFE SHOULD BE STUCK IN THE HOLLOW OF THE NECK OR BY THE CUTTING OF THE THROAT. THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY OF DEATH WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PAIN TO THE ANIMAL. 5.ADDITIONALLY, THE ANIMAL SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AFTER IT DIES. ITS NECK SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN AND IT SHOULD NOT BE SKINNED OR CUT OPEN UNTIL THE CARCASS IS ALLOWED TO COOL. 6.THE BLOOD MUST BE COMPLETELY DRAINED FROM THE CARCASS AND THE CARCASS SHOULD ALSO BE WASHED WITH CLEAN WATER.  CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES BLACK TURBAN IN MANY SHI'A COUNTRIES, IS WORN ONLY BY MALE SAYIDS, MEN WHO DESCEND FROM MUHAMMAD THROUGH HIS DAUGHTER FATIMAH AND HIS SON-IN-LAW ALI. IN SUNNI TRADITION, MUHAMMAD WORE A WHITE KUFI (HEAD CAP) WITH A BLACK AMAANA (TURBAN).  GHUTRA A SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR HEADSCARF IS WORN BY MEN, ALONG WITH A ROPE BAND (USUALLY BLACK) TO FASTEN IT IN PLACE. THE GHUTRA (HEADSCARF) IS USUALLY WHITE, OR CHECKERED RED/WHITE OR BLACK/WHITE. IN SOME COUNTRIES, THIS IS CALLED A SHEMAGH OR KUFFIYEH.  THOBE MANY MUSLIM MEN WEAR A THOBE, AN ANKLE- LENGTH SHIRT OR ROBE THAT COVERS THEIR BODY. THE TOP IS USUALLY TAILORED LIKE A SHIRT, BUT IT IS ANKLE-LENGTH AND LOOSE.  BISHT A DRESSIER MEN'S CLOAK THAT IS SOMETIMES WORN OVER THE THOBE, OFTEN BY HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OR RELIGIOUS LEADERS.  BURQA/NIQAB/HIJAB BURQA- COVERS THEIR ENTIRE BODY. THE EYES ARE COVERED WITH A MESH SCREEN. NIQAB- A FACE VEIL WORN BY SOME MUSLIM WOMEN WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT LEAVE THE EYES UNCOVERED. HIJAB- HEAD COVER ONLY CEREMONY/RITUAL/FE STIVAL MUHARRAM MUHARRAM IS THE ISLAMIC NEW YEAR, AND MARKS THE FIRST MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR. ○IT IS RECOGNISED BY MANY AS THE SECOND HOLIEST MONTH OF THE MUSLIM YEAR, AFTER THE MONTH OF RAMADAN. ○SOME MUSLIMS MARK ISLAMIC NEW YEAR ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, WHILE OTHERS CELEBRATE ON THE TENTH DAY – KNOWN AS THE DAY OF ASHURA (DAY OF REMEMBRANCE). MILAD AL-NABI ○IS THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S BIRTHDAY. IT IS CELEBRATED ON TWELFTH DAY OF RABI-UL-AWWAL, THE THIRD MONTH OF THE MUSLIM CALENDAR. RAMADAN RAMADAN IS THE NINTH MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR AND CONSIDERED BY MANY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR. IT IS A TIME OF SPIRITUAL REFLECTION. DURING RAMADAN, MUSLIMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FAST BETWEEN SUNRISE AND SUNSET. THE MONTH-LONG FAST IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM, WHICH MAKE UP THE FOUNDATIONS OF MUSLIM LIFE. EID UL FITR EID UL FITR (FESTIVAL OF THE BREAKING OF THE FAST) IS AN IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY CELEBRATED BY MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE. IT OBSERVES THE END OF THE MONTH-LONG FAST OF RAMADAN AND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL OF ISLAM. IT IS CELEBRATED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SHAWWAL, THE TENTH MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR. IN SOME COUNTRIES THE CELEBRATIONS LAST UP TO THREE DAYS. DHU AL-HIJJA IS THE LAST MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC YEAR, AND A TIME WHEN MANY MUSLIMS MAKE THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA IN SAUDI ARABIA – KNOWN AS HAJJ. HAJJ IS ONE OF THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM – ALL MUSLIMS, WHO ARE FIT AND ABLE TO, SHOULD COMPLETE THE PILGRIMAGE AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIVES. EID UL ADHA (FESTIVAL OF SACRIFICE) IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL IN THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR AND MARKS THE END OF HAJJ. IT TAKES PLACE ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH OF DHUL-HIJJAH. THE FESTIVAL OBSERVES THE PROPHET IBRAHIM’S WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE HIS SON, ISHMAEL, AFTER ALLAH (GOD) APPEARED TO HIM IN A DREAM ASKING HIM TO DO SO.