Ethical Relationships: Home

"Islam is one of the world's major religions, with followers known as Muslims adhering to a monotheistic belief structure. The word Islam is derived from a word meaning "submission," particularly submission to the will of Allah according to the Prophet Muhammed and the religious text known as the Qu'ran. Most Muslims fall into two major groups, Sunni and Shia (also known as Shi'a or Shiah) based on political rather than theological differences ... "

"The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are united in their belief in God and the Prophet Muhammad and are bound together by such religious practices as fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and almsgiving to assist people in need. But they have widely differing views about many other aspects of their faith, including how important religion is to their lives, who counts as a Muslim and what practices are acceptable in Islam, according to a worldwide survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life ... "

"An ancient religious divide is helping fuel a resurgence of conflicts in the Middle East and Muslim countries. Struggles between Sunni and Shia forces have fed a Syrian civil war that threatens to transform the map of the Middle East, spurred violence that is fracturing Iraq, and widened fissures in a number of tense Gulf countries ... "