The major religion is Islam Islam (Arabic: الإسلام al-’islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] [note 1]) is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of their one, incomparable God (Arabic: الله, Allāh), and by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad's teachings and normative example (in Arabic called which is practiced by about 97% of Iraqis. The other 3% are Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy (which parted ways with Catholicism in 1054 A.D.) and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th, and other religions. Many cities throughout Iraq have been areas of historical prominence for both Shia Shia Islam , is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but the terms Shiites or Shi'ites are common Anglicisations. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shī‘atu ‘Alī (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali& and Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam, also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah or Ahl as-Sunnah (Arabic: أهل السنة) for short. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Orthodox Islam. The word "Sunni" comes from the term Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which refers to the words and actions or example of the Islamic Muslims including Najaf Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 900,600 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate. It is one of the holiest cities of Shia Islām and the center of Shia political power in Iraq, Karbala Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad at 32.61°N, 44.08°E. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, with an estimated population of 572,300 people (2003). The city is best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala, and is amongst the holiest cities for Shī‘ah Muslims after Makkah, Madinah, and, Baghdad Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated between 7 and 7.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest city in the Arab World (after Cairo, Egypt) and Samarra Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, 125 kilometers (78 mi) north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700.
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Religions
Islam
Main articles: Islam in Iraq and Shia Islam in Iraq Abu Hanifa MosqueIraq's Muslims follow two distinct traditions, Shia Shia Islam , is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but the terms Shiites or Shi'ites are common Anglicisations. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shī‘atu ‘Alī (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali& and Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam, also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah or Ahl as-Sunnah (Arabic: أهل السنة) for short. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Orthodox Islam. The word "Sunni" comes from the term Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which refers to the words and actions or example of the Islamic Islam. According to the CIA World Factbook The World Factbook is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official paper copy version is available from the National Technical Information Service and the Government Printing Office. Other companies—such as Skyhorse Publishing—, Iraq is 97% Muslim.(60% Shi'a,37% Sunni). Iraq is home to many religious sites that is important for both Shia Shia Islam , is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but the terms Shiites or Shi'ites are common Anglicisations. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shī‘atu ‘Alī (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali& and Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam, also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah or Ahl as-Sunnah (Arabic: أهل السنة) for short. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Orthodox Islam. The word "Sunni" comes from the term Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which refers to the words and actions or example of the Islamic Muslims. Baghdad Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated between 7 and 7.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest city in the Arab World (after Cairo, Egypt) was a hub of Islamic Islam (Arabic: الإسلام al-’islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] [note 1]) is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of their one, incomparable God (Arabic: الله, Allāh), and by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad's teachings and normative example (in Arabic called learning Learning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves and scholarship A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award for centuries and served as the capital of the Abassids. The city of Karbala Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad at 32.61°N, 44.08°E. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, with an estimated population of 572,300 people (2003). The city is best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala, and is amongst the holiest cities for Shī‘ah Muslims after Makkah, Madinah, and has substantial prominence in Shia Islam Shia Islam , is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but are also known as Shiites or Shi'ites. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shī‘atu ‘Alī (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali" as a result of the Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar[citation needed] in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side were supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Hussein ibn Ali, on the other side was a military detachment from the forces of Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph, fought on the site of the modern city on October 10, 680. Similarly, Najaf Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 900,600 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate. It is one of the holiest cities of Shia Islām and the center of Shia political power in Iraq is renowned as the site of the tomb of Alī ibn Abī Tālib Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661. Sunni Muslims consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shi'a Muslims regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to (also known as "Imām Alī"), whom the Shia consider to be the righteous caliph and first imām In the Shi'a context, imam has a meaning more central to belief, referring to leaders of the community. Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a believe that these Imams are chosen by God to be perfect examples for the faithful and to lead all humanity in all aspects of life. They also believe that all the Imams chosen are free from committing any sin,. The city is now a great center of pilgrimage In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim from throughout the Shi'a Islamic Islam (Arabic: الإسلام al-’islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] [note 1]) is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of their one, incomparable God (Arabic: الله, Allāh), and by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad's teachings and normative example (in Arabic called world and it is estimated that only Mecca Mecca , also spelled Makkah (occasionally Bakkah) (English: /ˈmækə/; Arabic: مكة Makkah and in full: Arabic: مكّة المكرمة transliterated Makkah Al Mukarramah [mækːæt ælmukarːamæ]) is a city in Saudi Arabia, and the holiest meeting site in Islam, closely followed by Medina and Medina Medina is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and it is historically significant for being his home after the Hijrah receive more Muslim pilgrims. The city of Kufa Kufa is a city in Iraq, about 170 kilometres (110 mi) south of Baghdad, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000 was home to the famed scholar, Abu Hanifah whose school of thought is followed by a sizable number of Sunni Muslims Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. It is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة "people of the example and the community") or Ahl as-Sunnah (Arabic: أهل السنة) for short. The word Sunni comes from the word Sunnah (Arabic: سنة), which means the across the globe. Likewise, Samarra Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, 125 kilometers (78 mi) north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700 is also home to the al-Askari Mosque Al ‘Askarī Mosque or the ‘Askariyya Mosque/Shrine is a Shī‘ah Muslim holy site located in the Iraqi city of Sāmarrā 125 km (78 mi) from Baghdad. It is one of the most important Shī‘ah mosques in the world, built in 944. Its dome was destroyed in a bombing by Sunni extremists in February 2006 and its two remaining minarets were, containing the mausoleums of the Ali al-Hadi ‘Alī al-Hādī , also known as ‘Alī an-Naqī (March 5, 828 – June 27, 868) was the tenth of the Twelve Imams. He was born ‘Alī ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Alī and Hasan al-Askari Hasan al-‘Askarī (Eighth of Rabi' al-thani 232 AH – Eighth of Rabi' al-awwal 260 AH ; approximately: 1 December 846 - 1 January 874) was the eleventh of the Twelve Imams. His given name was Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Muhammad. Hasan al-‘Askarī was 22, when his father was killed and the period of his Imāmate, following his father's death, was, the tenth and eleventh Shia Imams, respectively, as well as the shrine of Muhammad al-Mahdi Muhammad al-Māhdī also known as Hujjat ibn al-Hasan (15th Sha‘bān 255 AH – in Occultation ; approximately July 29, 869 – in Occultation) is the individual believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the Māhdī, the ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imām of the Twelve Imams. Twelver Shī‘a believe that al-Māhdī was born in 869, known as the "Hidden Imam", who is the twelfth and final Imam of the Shia of the Ja'farī Madhhab. This has made it an important pilgrimage centre for Ja'farī Shia Muslims. In addition, some female relatives of the Prophet Mohammad Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh (Arabic: ﷴ; Transliteration: Muḥammad; pronounced [mʊˈħæmmæd] ; also spelled Muhammed or Mohammed) (ca. 570/571 Mecca[مَكَةَ ]/[ مَكَهْ ] – June 8, 632), was the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of God (Arabic: الله are buried in Samarra, making the city one of the most significant sites of worship for Shia and a venerated location for Sunni Muslims.
Christianity
The Latin Church in Baghdad Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated between 7 and 7.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest city in the Arab World (after Cairo, Egypt) Assyrians in Iraq account for a slight majority in two Ninewa counties, Tel Kaif and Al-Hamdaniya. Yazidi The Yazidi are members of a Kurdish religion with ancient Indo-European roots. They are primarily a Kurdish-speaking people living in the Mosul region of northern Iraq, with additional communities in Transcaucasia, Armenia, Turkey, and Syria in decline since the 1990s - their members emigrating to Europe, especially to Germany. Their religion, leaders and Chaldean The Chaldean Christians are adherents of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and are ethnic Assyrians clergymen meeting in Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, as well as some parts of northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwestern Iran, 1800s. Further information: List of Assyrian settlementsIraq's Syriac Christian minority represents roughly 3% of the population, mostly living in Northern Iraq, concentrated in the Ninewa and Dahuk governorates. There are no official statistics, and estimates vary greatly. In 1950 Christians numbered 7-10% of the population of 5.5 million. All Iraqi Priest in Iraq uses Allah Allah (Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔalˤːɑːh] ) is the standard Arabic word for God. While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabs of all Abrahamic faiths, including Mizrahi Jews, Baha'is and Eastern Orthodox Christians, in reference to "God". The term was also used for Arabic Eucharist Mass. Since the 2003 Iraq war PKK: 537 killed , 9 killed (PKK Claim), 230 (official army figures claim), Iraqi Assyrians have been dislocated to Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest in significant but unknown numbers. The Syriac Christians of Iraq are divided into
- the "Eastern Assyrians" or "Nestorian Assyrian" group (Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, is an ancient Christian church currently centered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, but with most members in Mesopotamia. One of the modern churches that claim continuity with the historical Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon – the Church of & Ancient Church of the East The Ancient Church of the East separated from the Assyrian Church of the East in 1964, after Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII, the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East introduced reforms which were not supported by a certain number of traditionalist followers of the church. Baghdad is the seat of the Ancient Church of the East and Mar Thoma Darmo);
- the "Western", "Jacobite", "Syriac Assyrian", group (Syriac Orthodox Church The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church derives its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St. Peter. It employs the oldest surviving liturgy in Christianity, the Liturgy & Syriac Catholic Church The Syriac Catholic Church, or Syrian Catholic Church, is a Christian church in the Levant having practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church. They are one of the Eastern Catholic Churches following the Antiochene rite, the Syriac tradition of Antioch, along with the Maronites and Syro-Malankara Christians. This is distinct from);
- the "Chaldeans" The Chaldean Christians are adherents of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and are ethnic Assyrians (Chaldean Catholic Church The Chaldean Catholic Church (Arabic: الكنيسة الكلدانية الكاثوليكية al-kanīsä 'l-kaldāniyyä 'l-kātholikiyyä, Chaldean Neo-Aramaic ܥܕܬܐ ܟܠܕܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝܬܐ is an Eastern particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church).
Yazdânism
The Yazidi The Yazidi are members of a Kurdish religion with ancient Indo-European roots. They are primarily a Kurdish-speaking people living in the Mosul region of northern Iraq, with additional communities in Transcaucasia, Armenia, Turkey, and Syria in decline since the 1990s - their members emigrating to Europe, especially to Germany. Their religion, live near Mosul Mosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km (250 miles) northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial areas on both banks, with five bridges and are made up of ethnic Kurds. Yazdânism dates to pre-Islamic times and Mosul is the principal holy site of the Yazidi faith. The holiest Yazidi shrine is that of Sheikh Adi located at the necropolis of Lalish. Aside from the Yazidi religion, there are also the religions of the Yarsan (locally called Kakeyi) and Alevi Shabaks.
Mandaeism
The Mandaean faith has existed in Iraq since the reign of Artabanus V of Parthia according to the Haran Gawaitha (secret wanderings) scroll of secondary Mandaean writ. This would make the Iraqi presence of Mandaeans at least 1,800 years old, making it the third oldest continually professed faith in Iraqi society after Zoroastrianism and Judaism. There are more Mandaeans in Iraq than there are Zoroastrians or Jews combined. In Iraq estimates of around 60,000 have been made. The oldest independent confirmation of Mandaean existence in the region is the Kartir inscription. The Mandaean faith is commonly known as the last surviving Gnostic faith and its adherents believe it to be the oldest faith on Earth, with at least some scholarly support for it being as old if not older than Christianity perhaps even being a major influence in the development of heterodox Jewish circles which eventually led to the formation of Christian beliefs, practices, rituals and theology. John the Baptist or Yahia Yuhanna is considered to have been the final Mandaean prophet and first true Ris'Amma, or Ethnarch, of the Mandaean people. Most Iraqi Mandaeans live near waterways because of the practice of total immersion (or baptism) in flowing water every Sunday. The highest concentrations are in the Mesene province with headquarters in Amarah, Qalat Saleh and Basra. Besides these southern regions bordering Kuzistan in Iran, large numbers of Mandaeans can be found in Baghdad in Dweller's Quarters of that city giving them easy access to the Tigris River.
Judaism
Judaism first came to Iraq under the rule of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. It was a part of the Babylonian Captivity. The once thriving Jewish community has survived, despite local 20th Century persecution on the background of the Arab-Israeli conflict. [1] The majority have fled, largely to Israel. Fewer than 100 Jews remain in Iraq.
Further information: History of the Jews in IraqZoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism first came to Iraq when Babylon was conquered by the Persian Empire. Zoroastrianism in Iraq declined after the fall of the Sassanid Empire and very few, if any, Zoroastrians remain.
Shabaks
Some members of the Shabak people practice a syncretic religion, but it is however seen as Alevi.
References
See also
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Categories: Religion in the Middle East
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The Associated Press
hu, 24 Dec 2009 18:17:40 GM
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