Sunni IslamSunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Muslim community, being appointed at the meeting of Saqifa. This contrasts with the Shia view, which holds that Muhammad appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib (r. 656–661) as his successor.
Islamic philosophyPhilosophical tradition in Muslim cultureThe Brethren of Purity were a medieval secret society, consisting of Islamic philosophers, here seen in an illustration from the Encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity, c. 1287.
IslamAbrahamic monotheistic religion
Shia IslamSecond-largest branch of IslamShia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It is rooted in the belief that the Islamic prophet Muhammad explicitly designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib (r. 656–661) as his rightful political successor (caliph) and the divinely guided spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam).
South AsiaSouth Asia is the southern sub-region of Asia that is defined in both geographical and ethnic-cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's population. As commonly conceptualised, the modern states of South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with Afghanistan also often included, which may also be classified as part of Central Asia.
Middle EastTranscontinental geopolitical regionMap of the Middle East between North Africa, Southern Europe, Central Asia, and South AsiaMiddle East map of Köppen climate classificationThe Middle East is a geo-political region that is generally defined as encompassing all of Egypt and all of West Asia except for the Caucasus. It roughly corresponds with what was historically referred to in Western Europe as the Near East, which was juxtaposed with the Far East.
PolymathA polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, but some are gifted at explaining abstractly and creatively.
FiqhFiqh (; Arabic: فِقْه [fɪqh]) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is often described as the style of human understanding, research and practices of the sharia; that is, human understanding of the divine Islamic law as revealed in the Quran as well as the sunnah (the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions).
IranIran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and historically known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With a population of over 92 million, Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population.
ArabicCentral Semitic languageArabic is a Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns language codes to 32 varieties of Arabic, including its standard form of Literary Arabic, known as Modern Standard Arabic, which is derived from Classical Arabic.
Muhammad IqbalIslamic philosopher and poet (1877–1938)SirMuhammad Iqbal (9 November 1877 – 21 April 1938) was an Islamic philosopher and poet. His poetry in Urdu is considered among the greatest of the 20th century, and his vision of a cultural and political ideal for the Muslims of British India is widely regarded as having animated the impulse behind the Pakistan Movement. The honorific commonly refers to him as Allamah (Persian: علامه, romanized: 'Allāma, lit.
Mazar (mausoleum)Venerated structure in traditional Islam The Holy Shrine of Hazrat Soofie Saheb in Durban, South Africa The Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya, a patron saint of Cairo.
Islamic philosophyPhilosophical tradition in Muslim cultureThe Brethren of Purity were a medieval secret society, consisting of Islamic philosophers, here seen in an illustration from the Encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity, c. 1287.IslamAbrahamic monotheistic religionShia IslamSecond-largest branch of IslamShia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It is rooted in the belief that the Islamic prophet Muhammad explicitly designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib (r. 656–661) as his rightful political successor (caliph) and the divinely guided spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam).South AsiaSouth Asia is the southern sub-region of Asia that is defined in both geographical and ethnic-cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's population. As commonly conceptualised, the modern states of South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with Afghanistan also often included, which may also be classified as part of Central Asia.Middle EastTranscontinental geopolitical regionMap of the Middle East between North Africa, Southern Europe, Central Asia, and South AsiaMiddle East map of Köppen climate classificationThe Middle East is a geo-political region that is generally defined as encompassing all of Egypt and all of West Asia except for the Caucasus. It roughly corresponds with what was historically referred to in Western Europe as the Near East, which was juxtaposed with the Far East.PolymathA polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, but some are gifted at explaining abstractly and creatively.FiqhFiqh (; Arabic: فِقْه [fɪqh]) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is often described as the style of human understanding, research and practices of the sharia; that is, human understanding of the divine Islamic law as revealed in the Quran as well as the sunnah (the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions).IranIran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and historically known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With a population of over 92 million, Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population.ArabicCentral Semitic languageArabic is a Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns language codes to 32 varieties of Arabic, including its standard form of Literary Arabic, known as Modern Standard Arabic, which is derived from Classical Arabic.Muhammad IqbalIslamic philosopher and poet (1877–1938)SirMuhammad Iqbal (9 November 1877 – 21 April 1938) was an Islamic philosopher and poet. His poetry in Urdu is considered among the greatest of the 20th century, and his vision of a cultural and political ideal for the Muslims of British India is widely regarded as having animated the impulse behind the Pakistan Movement. The honorific commonly refers to him as Allamah (Persian: علامه, romanized: 'Allāma, lit.Mazar (mausoleum)Venerated structure in traditional Islam The Holy Shrine of Hazrat Soofie Saheb in Durban, South Africa The Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya, a patron saint of Cairo.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.