COMPARATIVE CULTURE PATTERNS

THE ARAB STATES 

THE ISLAMIC FAITH

• Muhammad the Prophet
• Born at 12th night Rabiul Awal 14th century.
• His father Abdullah is passed away before he born and his mother is too when he was six years old, at the eight years old his grandfather Abdul Muthalib is passed away too.
• Muhammad lives with his uncle Abu Thalib.
• Muhammad the Prophet receive his first revelation in Hira Cave at 40 years old.
• He do a religious proselytizing twenty three years long in Mecca and Madinah.

The Qur’an

• Contains stories, admonitions, verse, and prophetic segments, and social, politic, and economic laws.
• The Qur’an is a spiritual guide, a system of law, a code of ethics, and a way of life. 
• The sunnah are the traditions relating to the deeds and utterances of Muhammad
• The Qur’an and the sunnah are Muslims guide get to the truth along their lives.

Religious Practices

• Shahadah : “ I testify that there is no God but God; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
• Short prayers or shalat, are recided by individuals five times daily at intervals from early morning to evening, each time after washing hands, arms, face, hair, and feet, and facing east (toward Mecca).
• Fasting or swam is central during Ramadhan. 
• Muslim abstains from food, drink, and sexual intercourse during the daylight hours.
• Nourishment is allowed only the elderly, the pregnant, and the very young.
• Zakat is the duty of of sharing with the poor a small percentage of wealth beyond one’s basic expenses.
• Make a pilgrimage to Mecca or haji.