All Muslims should believe in the following things:

1. Allah is the creator of all things. Allah is all-powerful and knowledgeable

2. His angels record the good and bad deeds of every Muslim.

3. The prophet Mohammed is the messenger of God.

4. The Qur'an (the holy word of God revealed through Mohammed) and the Old and New Testaments.

5. The Day of Judgment. This is when it is decided if you will go to Heaven or Hell.

6. Predestination (the fate and future of each person that is decided by the Will of Allah)

All Muslims should practice the five Pillars of Islam. (religious duties)

• Witness - stating your belief in God.
• Worship/Prayer - Praying to God five times a day facing Mecca.
• Charity - giving 2.5% of your wealth to the poor each year.
• Fasting - not eating, drinking, smoking, or having sex from dawn until dusk for the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. (Ramadan)
• Pilgrimage - Every person should visit the temple in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) at least once in their lifetime.

Three good links for Islam are:

This site provides good information about the five pillars of Islam.

Fact Monster provides good information on the Sunnis and Shi'ites.

The White Father 2 provides more information on Islam other than the Shi'ites and Sunnis.

Bibliography

Ganeri, Anita. The Atlas of the World. Columbus: Mcgraw Hill Children's Publishing, 2001.

Sabini, John. Islam: A primer. Washington D.C.: Middle East Editorial Associates. 1990

The National Conference for Community and Justice. 2002 Portland House of Worship Tour. 2002.