European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The world of fastest growing global Faith a Moi Moh ran by Barbara s. Moffet National geographic o f the three religions that sprang from the Middle East islam dominate there today. But islam is not limited to the Middle was it is the principal belief income 40 nations in Asia  Africa. Here is a primer on islam the world s fastest growing religion. Almos Ona of every five people on Earth is a Muslim or moslem some 600 million people. Most Middle Eastern countries such As Egypt Turkey saudi Arabia. Iran Libya  Yemen Are heavily Muslim yet the countries with the most muslims Are outside the Mideast Indonesia 135 million Bangladesh 60 million Pakistan 75 million India 60 Millionth soviet Union 45 million end China 30 million. There Are 2 million muslims in the United Stales. The muslims Faith is celled islam an arabic word meaning submission submission 1o god swirl. Islam is considered More than a religion 11 is a total Way of Tife. Vet within islam is Rich diversity. Most muslims Are not arabs Muslim states vary As much As Sweden  Al Salvador in the Christian world. Muslim leaders Dulfer sharply in style the late Anwar Sadat was a devout Muslim As is the Ayatollah Kho mull of Iran. The Moil Coni Pictou difference among muslims is their division into two major branches the sunnis  the Solis sometimes called shias or shills. More than 85 percent of today s muslims Are sunnis some of the leaders of the Palestine liberation organization Lor example Are sunny muslims. The islamic Republic of Iran whose people Are not arabs has the greatest percentage of Solis about 93 percent of its population its Battlefield foe the Republic of Iraq is More than Hall shia Muslim yet the iraqi government is controlled by sunnis. Solis also Are significant in Lebanon Bahrain the Bernens Pakistan  India. The faithful Bow or afternoon Prayton one of tit told daily by Muslli. Page 14 the stars  stripes the split occurred in the seventh Century when islam s founder Muhammad died  a dispute an Over his successor. One Branch the sunnis derive irom the arabic word for tradition preferred to ele or select a successor. Another group maintained the the new Leader should be Muhammad s Cousin  son in Law. All. This group formed the nucleus of tin Early shia movement whose name derives rom a w meaning partisans or followers of  in , 660 All s son Hussein led a band a rebel against the sunnis the band was massacred Hurst beheaded. The debacle Leil the Muslim Community divided into two branches the shia  those we later were to be called the sunnis. Remorse for Faller to  Hussein became Central to the shia move Mei within each major Branch Are Many minor Groi. Such As he Wahhabi in saudi Arabia  the Shea related a Lawlee in Syria  Turkey. The islamic mystics known As the sufi Are sprinkled through the Muslim world. Ships believe that All  his descendants were imams divinely guided leaders  interpreters of god s will. Yet they disagree about the identity of the Imam at any certain Point  on How Many imams there have been. The largest group sometimes kno As twelves  concentrated in Iran contends he were 12, the last of whom disappeared in . 874, in hiding  will return someday to establish a Purit islamic government. Othar ships among them some the Smallis of Africa  India believe that Imam is alive in the form of the Agha Khan who lives in Paki m How do a sunny  shia nation differ in Moat sunny countries religious activities Are regulated by t stale but treated As an appendage of the political system. In today s Iran the world s Only Sta state Khomeini s authority As a spokesman of the hidden Imam of the Twelver ships is supreme. As such the state exists to serve islam. Muhammad a Horn in Mecca in present Day saudi Arabia about . S70. While meditating in a Cave Muhammad said he heard revelations from the Angel Gabriel words that eventually formed Iheukw tradition holds that he later was transported irom Mecca to Jerusalem  then to heaven Lor a Preble Otheal Erlile. Muhammad preached the message he had Revei but he was persecuted  he emigrated to Madl monday