Islam,
Islamic
Islam, the religion of Muslims, is based on the teachings of the religious leader Muhammad, who was born in Mecca (Makkah) about AD 570. Muslims believe that there is only one god, Allah. Islam relies heavily on the teachings in the sacred books of the Koran and the Sunna.
Islam is the religion of virtually all Afghans, but it has not been a unifying force sufficient to overcome ethnic differences. About 84 per cent of people are Sunni Muslim, while 15 per cent (primarily the Hazara and some Persian speakers) are Shiite Muslim. There are small numbers of Sikhs and Hindus in the cities.
Religion permeates Afghan society, and the important role of Islam in the Mujahideen war against the Soviet occupation (1979–1989) has increased its political influence in the country. Culturally, Islam dominates most Afghan Muslims’ lives from birth to death, but local codes of conduct, such as Pashtunwali, the code of the Pashtuns, also influence everyday behaviour.
Zanzibari Mosque
A man reads from the Koran (Qur'an) in a mosque in the Stone Town neighborhood of Zanzibar in Tanzania. Almost all residents of the island of Zanzibar are Muslims. Stone Town, so called because its buildings are made of coral limestone, was constructed in the 18th century and is the oldest section of the city of Zanzibar.
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Updated: May 27, 2001 03:33:40 am
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