Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city proper had a population of 921,000 in 2013.[4] SONY VAIO VGN-AW2XRY laptop keyboard

Abu Dhabi houses important offices of the federal government, and is the seat for the United Arab Emirates Government and the home for the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE from this family. HP 317443-001 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. Its rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed Abu Dhabi to a larger and advanced metropolis. Today the city is the country's center of political, industrial activities, and a major cultural, and commercial centre due to its position as the capital. Abu Dhabi alone generated 56.7% of the GDP of the United Arab Emirates in 2008.[5][6] DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi is home to important financial institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the corporate headquarters of many companies and numerous multinational corporations. One of the world's largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism. TOSHIBA Satellite P300 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi is the second most expensive city for expatriate employees in the region, and 67th most expensive city in the world.[7] Fortune magazine and CNN stated in 2007 that Abu Dhabi is the richest city in the world.[8] ACER Aspire 7535 Laptop Keyboard

The origin of the name "Abu Dhabi" is uncertain. Meaning "Father of Deer", it probably referred to the few gazelle that inhabit the emirate. According to Bilal Al Budoor, assistant under-secretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, "The area had a lot of dhibaa [deer], and was nicknamed after that." An old story tells about a man who used to chase deer [dhabi] and was named the "father"Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

of the animal. Abu Dhabi's original name was Milh"salt", possibly referring to the salty water of the Persian Gulf. Some Bedouins called the city Umm Dhabi (mother of deer), while British records refer to the place as Abu Dhabi. According to some historical accounts, the name Abu Dhabi was first used more than 300 years ago. Abu Dhabi is pronounced "Bu Dhabi" by inhabitants of the western coast of the city. In the eastern part of the city, the pronunciation is "Abu".[3] DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

In the 1930s, as the pearl trade declined, interest grew in the oil possibilities of the region. On 5 January 1936, Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Ltd (PDTC), an associate company of the Iraq Petroleum Company, entered into a concession agreement with the ruler, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan al Nahyan, to explore for oil.  Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

This was followed by a seventy-five-year concession signed in January 1939. However, owing to the desert terrain, inland exploration was fraught with difficulties. In 1953, D'Arcy Exploration Company, Lenovo 45N2106 Laptop Keyboard

the exploration arm of British Petroleum, obtained an offshore concession which was then transferred to a company created to operate the concession: Abu Dhabi Marine Areas (ADMA) was a joint venture between BP and Compagnie Française des Pétroles (later Total). In 1958, using a marine drilling platform, tHP 643263-001 Laptop Keyboard

he ADMA Enterprise, oil was struck in the Umm Shaif field at a depth of about 8,755 feet (2,669 m). This was followed in 1959 by PDTC’s onshore discovery well at Murban No.3.[14] SONY VAIO VGN-CS170F/R Laptop Keyboard

In 1962, the company discovered the Bu Hasa field and ADMA followed in 1965 with the discovery of the Zakum offshore field. Today, in addition to the oil fields mentioned, the main producing fields onshore are Asab, Sahil and Shah, and offshore are al-Bunduq, and Abu al-Bukhoosh.[14] ACER TravelMate 4600 Laptop Keyboard

The city of Abu Dhabi is on the northeastern part of the Persian Gulf in the Arabian Peninsula. It is on an island less than 250 metres (820 ft) from the mainland and is joined to the mainland by the Maqta and Mussafah Bridges. A third, Sheikh Zayed Bridge, designed by Zaha Hadid, opened in late 2010. Abu Dhabi Island is also connected to Saadiyat Island by a five-lane motorway bridge. Al-Mafraq bridge connects the city to Reem Island and was completed in early 2011. APPLE A1181 Laptop Keyboard

This is a multilayer interchange bridge and it has 27 lanes which allow roughly 25,000 automobiles to move per hour. There are three major bridges of the project, the largest has eight lanes, four leaving Abu Dhabi city and four coming in.[15] Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

Most of Abu Dhabi city is located on the island itself, but it has many suburbs on the mainland, for example: Khalifa City A, B, and C;[16] Al Raha Beach;[17] Al Bahia City A, B, and C; Al Shahama; Al Rahba; Between Two Bridges; Baniyas; and Mussafah Residential. GATEWAY V021646BS1 Laptop Keyboard

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s land surface measures 67,340 square kilometres, which is equivalent to about 87% of the UAE’s total land area.[18] Only 30% of the emirate is inhabited, with the remaining vast expanses covered mainly by desert and arid land — constituting about 93% of the total land area. ASUS A3Ac Laptop Keyboard

Land cultivation and irrigation for agriculture and forestation over the past decade has increased the size of “green” areas in the emirate to about 5% of the total land area, including parks and roadside plantations. About 1.2% of the total land area is used for agriculture. A small part of the land area is covered by mountains, SONY VAIO VPCF12AFM Laptop Keyboard

containing several caves. The coastal area contains pockets of wetland and mangrove colonies. Abu Dhabi also has dozens of islands, mostly small and uninhabited, some of which have been designated as sanctuaries for wildlife.[19] DELL Inspiron 1750 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi has a hot arid climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). Sunny blue skies can be expected throughout the year. The months of June through September are generally hot and humid with maximum temperatures averaging above 35 °C (95 °F). During this time, sandstorms occur intermittently, in some cases reducing visibility to a few meters.[20] Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Laptop Keyboard

The weather is cooler from November to March. This period also sees dense fog on some days. The oasis city of Al Ain, about 150 km (93 mi) away, bordering Oman, regularly records the highest summer temperatures in the country; however, the dry desert air and cooler evenings make it a traditional retreat from the intense summer heat and year-round humidity of the capital city.[21] HP 317443-001 Laptop Keyboard

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the hereditary ruler of Abu Dhabi (UAE). He is a son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the United Arab Emirates. His half-brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and wields considerable influence as Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Council and Deputy Supreme Commander of the armed forces of The United Arab Emirates.[23] SONY VAIO VGN-FS195XP laptop keyboard

The total number of members of the Executive Council has been slimmed down to 98 since the succession and it now consists largely of prominent members of the ruling family as well as a number of respected politicians.[24] TOSHIBA Satellite l25-s121 laptop keyboard

The emirates maintain their hereditary rulers who, as a group, form the UAE’s Supreme Council of Rulers, headed by the president. Although the presidency is renewable every five years through a vote in the council, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan held the presidency from the formation of the UAE until his death in November 2004, and there is an implicit understanding that Abu Dhabi’s ruler will always be elected president.[24] SONY VAIO VGN-FS830 laptop keyboard

At a federal level, laws must be ratified by the Supreme Council. The Council of Ministers forms the executive authority of the state. This 20-member cabinet is headed by the president’s chosen prime minister, a post currently held by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. SONY VAIO VGN-FS640P laptop keyboard

In the case of Abu Dhabi, this is eight. The procedures for appointment to the FNC have recently been amended so that each emirate must now select its representatives through an electoral body. The size of each electoral authority must be 100 times greater than the number of representatives it appoints. Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

Half the members of each electoral body will be selected by the ruler of the emirate while the other half will be directly elected by residents of the emirate. These amendments are considered to be the first step in a wider electoral reform program which will see greater representation at a federal level.[25] Lenovo 45N2205 laptop keyboard

The density of Abu Dhabi varies, with high employment density in the central area, high residential densities in central downtown and lower densities in the suburbs. In the dense areas, most of the concentration is achieved with medium- and high-rise buildings. TOSHIBA Satellite L655-S5153 laptop keyboard

Abu Dhabi's skyscrapers such as the notable Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower,[26] theNational Bank of Abu Dhabi headquarters,[27] the Hilton Hotel Tower[28] and the Etisalatheadquarters are usually found in the financial districts of Abu Dhabi.[29] Other notable modern buildings include the Emirates Palace with its design inspired by Arab heritage.[30] SAMSUNG NP-N150-JP08 laptop keyboard

The development of tall buildings has been encouraged in the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030, which will lead to the construction of many new skyscrapers over the next decade, particularly in the expansion of Abu Dhabi's central business district such as the new developments onAl Sowwah Island and Al Reem Island. ACER Aspire 5810TZ-4657 laptop keyboard

Some of the tallest buildings on the skyline include the 382 m (1,253.28 ft) Central Market Residential Tower, the 324 m (1,062.99 ft) The Landmark and the 74-story, 310 m (1,017.06 ft) Sky Tower. Also many other skyscrapers over 150 m (492.13 ft) (500 ft) are either proposed or approved and could transform the city's skyline. As of July 2008, there were 62 high-rise buildings 23 to 150 m (75.46 to 492.13 ft) under construction, approved for construction, or proposed for construction.[32] Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

One of the most important architectural landmarks is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. This is arguably one of the most important architectural treasures of contemporary UAE society — and one of the most opulent in the world. It was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, fondly thought of as the father of the UAE.[33] ACER Aspire AS5335-2257 laptop keyboard

Its design and construction reportedly 'unites the world', using artisans and materials from many countries including Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece and of course the United Arab Emirates. More than 3,000 workers and 38 renowned contracting companies took part in the construction of the mosque. SAMSUNG NP-N145-JP02 laptop keyboard

Natural materials were chosen for much of its design and construction due to their long-lasting qualities, including marble, stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics. Construction began on November 5, 1996. The maximum capacity is approximately 41,000 people and the overall structure is 22,412 square metres and although still under construction, the internal prayer halls were initially opened in December 2007.[33] HP Pavilion DV6-1210ew laptop keyboard

As one of the most visited buildings in the UAE, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center was established to manage the day-to-day operations, as a place of worship and Friday gathering and as a centre of learning and discovery through its education and visitor programs.[34] HP HDX18-1100 CTO laptop keyboard

and 6% of gas. Abu Dhabi thus holds 9% of the world’s proven oil reserves (98.2bn barrels) and almost 5% of the world’s natural gas (5.8 trillion cu metres). Oil production in the UAE was in the region of 2.3m barrels per day (bpd) in 2010,[37] and projects are in progress to boost production to 3m bpd. In recent years the focus has turned to gas as increasing domestic consumption for power, desalination and reinjection of gas into oil fields increases demand. TOSHIBA Satellite P105-S9337 laptop keyboard

Gas extraction is not without its difficulties, however, as demonstrated by the sour gas project at Shah where the gas is rich in hydrogen sulphide content and is expensive to develop and process.[14] HP Pavilion ze4600 laptop keyboard

Recently the government has been diversifying their economic plans. Served by high oil prices, the country’s non oil and gas GDP has outstripped that attributable to the energy sector. Remarkably, non oil and gas GDP now constitutes 64% of the UAE’s total GDP. This trend is reflected in Abu Dhabi with substantial new investment in industry, Packard Bell NEW95 laptop keyboard

real estate, tourism and retail. As Abu Dhabi is the largest oil producer of the UAE, it has reaped the most benefits from this trend. It has taken on an active diversification and liberalisation programme to reduce the UAE’s reliance on the hydrocarbon sector. This is evident in the emphasis on industrial diversification with the completion of free zones, Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, HP Pavilion dv6-2162nr laptop keyboard

twofour54 Abu Dhabi media free zone and the construction of another, ICAD II, in the pipeline. There has also been a drive to promote the tourism and real estate sectors with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the Tourism and Development Investment Company undertaking several large-scale development projects. These projects will be served by an improved transport infrastructure with a new port, an expanded airport and a proposed rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai all in the development stages.[38] SONY 148738121 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi is the wealthiest emirate of the UAE in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and per capita income. More than $1 trillion is invested worldwide in this city alone. In 2010, the GDP per capita also reached $49,600, which ranks ninth in the world after Qatar, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg and many others. TOSHIBA PK130260100 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi is also planning many future projects sharing with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and taking 29% of all the GCC future plannings. The United Arab Emirates is a fast-growing economy: in 2006 the per capita income grew by 9%, providing a GDP per capita of $49,700 and ranking third in the world at purchasing power parity. TOSHIBA Satellite M645-S4115 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), currently estimated at US$ 875 billion, is the world's wealthiest sovereign fund in terms of total asset value.[39] Etihad Airways maintains its headquarters in Abu Dhabi.[40] DELL Vostro 1015 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi's government is looking to expand revenue from oil and gas production to tourism and other sorts of features which would attract different types of people. This goal is seen in the amount of attention Abu Dhabi is giving to its International Airport. The airport, in 2009, experienced a 30%+ growth in passenger usage.[41] Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

This idea of diversification of the economy is also seen in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030[42] planned by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. In this plan Abu Dhabi's economy will be sustainable and not be dependent on any one facet or source of revenue. More specifically the non-oil portion of income is planned to be increased from about 40% to about 60%.[39] HP Envy 15-1021tx Laptop Keyboard

water shortage. On average each Abu Dhabi resident uses 550 litres (120 imp gal; 150 U.S. gal) of water per day.[46] Abu Dhabi daily produces 1,532 tonnes of solid wastes which is dumped at three landfill sites by Abu Dhabi Municipality.[47][48] The daily domestic waste water production is 330 MiGD and industrial waste water is 40 MiGD. A large portion of the sewerage flows as waste into streams, and separation plants.[48] TOSHIBA Satellite P300 Laptop Keyboard

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The city's per capita electricity consumption is about 41,000 kWh and the total supplied is 8,367 MW as of 2007.[49] The distribution of electricity is carried out by companies run by SCIPCO Power and APC Energy.[50][51] The Abu Dhabi Fire Service runs 13 fire stations that attend about 2,000 fire and rescue calls per year. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

State-owned Etisalat and private du communication companies provide telephone and cell phone service to the city. Cellular coverage is extensive, and both GSM and CDMA (from Etisalat and Du) services are available. SONY VAIO VGN-CR31E Laptop Keyboard

Etisalat, the government owned telecommunications provider, held a virtual monopoly over telecommunication services in Abu Dhabi prior to the establishment of other, smaller telecommunications companies such as Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC — better known as Du) in 2006COMPAQ Presario CQ60-104TU Laptop Keyboard

Internet was introduced into Abu Dhabi in 1995. The current network is supported by a bandwidth of 6 GB, with 50,000 dialup and 150,000 broadband ports. Etisalat recently announced implementing a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network in Abu Dhabi during the third quarter of 2009 to make the emirate the world's first city to have such a network.[52] HP 383495-001 Laptop Keyboard

The city was planned in the 1970s for an estimated maximum population of 600,000. In accordance with what was considered to be ideal urban planning at the time, the city has wide grid-pattern roads, and high-density tower blocks.[53] On the northerly end of the island, where the population density is highest, the main streets are lined with 20- to 30-story towers. Inside this rectangle of towers is a normal grid pattern of roads with lower density buildings (2-story villas or 6-story low-rise buildings). SAMSUNG N145 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi is a modern city with broad boulevards, tall office and apartment buildings, and busy shops. Principal thoroughfares are the Corniche, Airport Road, Sheikh Zayed Street, Hamdan Street and Khalifa Street. Abu Dhabi is known in the region for its greenery; the former desert strip today includes numerous parks and gardens. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

The design of the inner city roads and main roads are quite organised. Starting from the Corniche, all horizontal streets are oddly and the vertical ones evenly numbered. Thus, the Corniche is Street #1, Khalifa is Street #3, Hamdan is Street #5, and so on. Conversely, Salam Street is St #8.[54] DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

Mail is generally delivered to post-office boxes only; however, there is door-to-door delivery for commercial organizations. There are many parks throughout the city. Entrance is usually free for children, however there is often an entrance fee for adults. The Corniche, the city's seaside promenade, is about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) in length, with gardens, playgrounds, and a BMX/skateboard ring.[55] SONY VAIO VGN-FS485B Laptop Keyboard

In 2007 the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) was established, which is the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi’s urban environments and the expert authority behind the visionary Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework Plan that was published in September 2007.[56] The UPC is also working on similar plans for the regions of Al-Ain and Al-Gharbia. SONY VAIO VGN-FS195XP Laptop Keyboard

Because of the rapid development of Abu Dhabi, a number of challenges to the city's urban organization have developed, among them:

As of 2001, 25.6% of the population of the emirate was made up of UAE nationals. Approximately 74.4% of the population was expatriates.[61] Compaq Presario CQ42-359TU laptop keyboard

The median age in the emirate was about 30.1 years. The crude birth rate, as of 2005, was 13.6%, while the crude death rate was about 2%.[62] SONY KFRMBA221A laptop keyboard

Article 7 of the UAE's Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official state religion of the UAE.[63] The government subsidizes almost 95% of mosques and employs all imams.

The majority of the inhabitants of Abu Dhabi are expatriate workers from India, Pakistan,Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines, the United Kingdom and various countries from across the Arab world.[64] Consequently, English, TOSHIBA NSK-TBD01 laptop keyboard

Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil,Somali, Tigrinya, Amharic and Bengali are widely spoken.[65] Apart from Urdu and Hindi spoken by Indians and Pakistanis, many South Asian expatriates also contribute other South Asian languages to the cultural milieu, including Malayalam, the main language spoken in the state of Kerala. HP pavilion DV7-1000 Laptop Keyboard

The native-born population are Arabic-speaking Gulf Arabs who are part of a clan-based society. The Al Nahyan family, part of the al-Falah branch of the Bani Yas clan, rules the emirate and has a central place in society.[66] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) is the city's main aviation hub and the second busiest airport in the UAE, serving 9.02 million passengers in 2008, up 30.2% from 2007.[67][67] Its terminal spaces are dominated by Etihad Airways which is the UAE's national carrier and the country's second largest airline.[68] Lenovo 3000 Y500 Laptop Keyboard

A new terminal opened in 2009 with total capacity reaching 12 million passengers per annum by 2011.[69] Development work has also started on a new passenger terminal, to be situated between the two runways and known as the Midfield Terminal. The new mega-midfield terminal complex will be capable of handling an additional 20 million passengers a year initially and then later, SONY VAIO VGN-NW240F Laptop Keyboard

as Abu Dhabi develops as a major Middle East transport hub, up to 50 million passengers a year, thus providing a major competition to Dubai International Airport.[70] The 5.9-million-square-metre (1,500 acres) terminal will initially include 42 gates, rising to more than 90 gates on completion of the airport.[71] HP Mini 210-1155DX Laptop Keyboard

Public transport systems in Abu Dhabi include the Abu Dhabi public buses, taxis, ferries, and airplanes.[72] White-and-mustard metered taxis traverse most of the city in UAE. Currently newer silver-colored taxis are coming in, while the old mustard-colored ones are being phased out.[73] Abu Dhabi has about 8,000 old bronze/yellow/gold & white taxis, which will be phased out from 2008 to 2010.[74] GATEWAY V030946DS1 Laptop Keyboard

The first town bus entered service in about 1969 but this was all part of a very informal service. On 30 June 2008 the Department of Transport began public bus service in Abu Dhabi with four routes.[76] In an attempt to entice people to use the bus system, all routes were zero-fare until the end of 2008.[77] The four routes, which operate between 6 am and midnight every day, run at a frequency of 10 to 20 minutes.[77] HP Pavilion dm1-1010st Laptop Keyboard

Within the first week of service, the bus network had seen high ridership. Some of the buses, which have a maximum capacity of 45 passengers, only had room for standing left. Some bus drivers reported as many as 100 passengers on a bus at one time.[78] Although the new, zero-fare bus service has been a success, DELL XPS 15 L502X Laptop Keyboard

many taxi drivers are losing business. Taxi drivers have seen a considerable decrease in the demand for taxis while lines were forming for the buses.[79] The service steadily expanded and by the end of 2008, 230 buses were in service. In 2009, the Department of Transport plans to have 21 bus routes in the city, operated by 820 buses. A total of 1,360 buses are expected to be in operation by 2010.[78] HP G42-265LA Laptop Keyboard

A massive expansion of public transport is anticipated within the framework of the government's Surface Transport Master Plan 2030.[80] The expansion is expected to see 130 km (81 mi) of metro and 340 km (210 mi) of tramways and/or bus rapid transit (BRT) ACER Aspire One D150-1920 Laptop Keyboard

Abu Dhabi has a diverse and multicultural society.[81] The city's cultural imprint as a small, ethnically homogeneouspearling community was changed with the arrival of other ethnic groups and nationals — first by the Iranians in the early 1900s, and later by Indians and Pakistanis in the 1960s. Abu Dhabi has been criticized for perpetuating a class-based society, where migrant workers are in the lower classes.[82] DELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

Despite the diversity of the population, only minor and infrequent episodes of ethnic tensions, primarily between expatriates, have been reported in the city. Major holidays in Abu Dhabi include Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Eid ul-Adha which marks the end of Hajj, and National Day (2 December), ASUS X88S Laptop Keyboard

which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates.[83]

This unique socioeconomic development in the Persian Gulf has meant that Abu Dhabi is generally more tolerant than its neighbours.[84] While Islam is the main religion, Emaritis have been known for their tolerance; Christian churches, Hindu temples, and Sikh gurdwaras (but no synagogues) can be found alongside mosques. ASUS F82Q Laptop Keyboard

 The country is home to several communities that have faced persecution elsewhere. The cosmopolitan atmosphere is gradually growing and as a result, there are a variety of Asian and Western schools, cultural centers and themed restaurants. Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

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Abu Dhabi is home to a number of cultural institutions including the Cultural Foundation and the National Theater. The Cultural Foundation, while closed for reconstruction as of spring 2011, is home to the UAE Public Library and Cultural Center.[85] Various cultural societies such as the Abu Dhabi Classical Music Society have a strong and visible following in the city. The recently launched Emirates Foundation offers grants in support of the arts, DELL Latitude D430 laptop keyboard

as well as to advance science and technology, education, environmental protection and social development. The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) will be based in Abu Dhabi. The city also stages hundreds of conferences and exhibitions each year in its state-of-the-art venues, including the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) which is the Persian Gulf's largest exhibition center and welcomes around 1.8 million visitors every year.[86] ACER Aspire One AOA150-1570 laptop keyboard

The Red Bull Air Race World Series has been a spectacular sporting staple for the city for many years, bringing tens of thousands to the waterfront.[87] Another major event is the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC). HP Pavilion dv5-1110el laptop keyboard

The diversity of cuisine in Abu Dhabi is a reflection of the cosmopolitan nature of the society. Arab food is very popular and is available everywhere in the city, from the small shawarma to the upscale restaurants in the city's many hotels. Fast food and South Asian cuisine are also very popular and are widely available. Packard Bell NEW90 laptop keyboard

The sale and consumption of pork, though not illegal, is regulated and it is sold only to non-Muslims in designated areas.[88] Similarly, the sale ofalcoholic beverages is regulated. A liquor permit is required to purchase alcohol; however, alcohol, although available in bars and restaurants within four orfive star hotels, is not sold as widely as in its more liberal neighbour Dubai.[89] Shisha and qahwa boutiques are also popular in Abu Dhabi. HP Pavilion dv5-1233se laptop keyboard

Poetry in Abu Dhabi and the UAE is highly regarded and often is centric around the themes of satire, religion, family, chivalry and love. According to an article from an Abu Dhabi tourism page, sheikhs, teachers, sailors and princes make a large bulk of the poets within the UAE. A unique form of poetry to the UAE was formed in the 8th century by Al Khalil bin Ahmed and it was written in 16 meters. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

The first known poet from the UAE, Ibn Majid, was born sometime between 1432 and 1437 in Ras Al Khaimah. According to the tourism page Majid came from a family of sailors and 40 of his works have survived. Another Emirati poet, Ibn Daher is from the 17th century. Daher is important because he used Nabati poetry (AKA Bedouin poetry), HP Pavilion dv6-2044el laptop keyboard

poetry written in the vernacular instead of the classical/religious Arabic. Other important poets from the UAE are Mubarak Al Oqaili (1880–1954), Salem bin Ali al Owais (1887–1959) and Ahmed bin Sulayem (1905–1976). These poets made headway in the field of Classical Arabic poetry as opposed to the Nabati poetry of the 17th century.[90] Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

One of Ibn Masjid’s most prominent works is a book called, Kitab al-Fawa’id fi Usul ‘Ilm al-Bahr wa ’l-Qawa’id (Book of Useful Information on the Principles and Rules of Navigation), and it was written in 1490. This book is effectually an encyclopædia about navigation and sailing in and around the Indian Ocean. Masjid also goes into detail about the intricacies and technologies of the Arab sailing techniques. An excerpt from his book is as follows: HP Pavilion dv6-2044el laptop keyboard

Abu Dhabi is home to international and local private schools[93] and universities,[94] including government-sponsored United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain,New York University, Higher Colleges of Technology, New York Film Academy, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi University in Abu Dhabi. ASUS A6R laptop keyboard

These boast several languages that make up the population of the city. For example, the Abu Dhabi Indian School follows the CBSE Indian syllabus. INSEAD, the prestigious international business school, established a campus in February 2010, offering an Executive MBA and executive education courses. New York Universityopened a government-sponsored satellite campus in Abu Dhabi in September 2010.[95] HP Pavilion dv6-2135ev laptop keyboard

All schools in the emirate are under the authority of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. This organization oversees and administers public schools and licenses and inspects private schools. From 2009, the Council has brought over thousands of licensed teachers from native English speaking countries to support their New School Model Program in government schools. HP Pavilion DV6-1334us laptop keyboard

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) maintains a comprehensive after-school program for interested and talented jiu-jitsu students.[96] The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Schools Program began in 2008 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, who is a keen Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor. The program launched in 14 schools for pupils in grades 6 and 7 and has since expanded to 42 government schools, with 81 Brazilian coaches brought in as instructors.[97] TOSHIBA Satellite l25-s121 laptop keyboard

Students from 9 to 13 years old are taught Brazilian jiu-jitsu as part of the curriculum. The plan is for up to 500 schools to be participating in the school-jitsu program by 2015. The project was set up by special request of HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the head coach of the Emirates jiu-jitsu teamCarlos Santos, now also the managing director of the School-Jitsu Project.[98] TOSHIBA NSK-TBD01 laptop keyboard

Every year in the season of admissions an exhibition is launched in Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center under the supervision of the government.[99] Universities from every corner of the world exhibit their career programs and scholarship programs for globally bright students. This seems to be a well-defined platform for the students of all nationalities. Heriot-Watt University, University of Bolton, Cambridge University, Oxford University, the Petroluem Institute, Khalifa University and Abu Dhabi University attend. DELL Inspiron N5030 Laptop Keyboard

With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. Abu Bakr, a companion and close friend of Muhammad, was made the first caliph. His immediate task was to avenge a recent defeat by Byzantine forces, although he first had to put down a rebellion by Arab tribes in an episode known as theRidda wars, or "Wars of Apostasy".[129] The Quran was compiled into a one book at this time. HP Envy 15 Laptop Keyboard

His death in 634 resulted in the succession of Umar ibn al-Khattab as the caliph, followed by Uthman ibn al-Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib and Hasan ibn Ali. The first caliphs are known as al-khulafā' ar-rāshidūn ("Rightly Guided Caliphs"). Under them, the territory under Muslim rule expanded deeply into the Persian and Byzantine territories.[130] ACER Aspire 5315 Laptop Keyboard

When Umar was assassinated by Persians in 644, the election of Uthman as successor was met with increasing opposition. The standard copies of the Quran were also distributed throughout the Islamic State. In 656, Uthman was also killed, and Ali assumed the position of caliph. After the first civil war (the "First Fitna"), Ali was assassinated by Kharijites in 661. Following this, Mu'awiyah seized power and began the Umayyad dynasty.[131] COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

 IBM Lenovo ThinkPad R50E Laptop Keyboard

These disputes over religious and political leadership would give rise to schism in the Muslim community. The majority accepted the legitimacy of the three rulers prior to Ali, and became known as Sunnis. A minority disagreed, and believed that Ali was the only rightful successor; they became known as the Shi'a.[132] After Mu'awiyah's death in 680, conflict over succession broke out again in a civil war known as the "Second Fitna".HP 605344-001 Laptop Keyboard

The Umayyad dynasty conquered the Maghrib, the Iberian Peninsula, Narbonnese Gaul and Sindh.[133] Local populations of Jews and indigenous Christians, persecuted as religious minorities and taxed heavily to finance the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars, often aided Muslims to take over their lands from the Byzantines and Persians, resulting in exceptionally speedy conquests.[134][135] Since the Constitution of Medina, Jews and Christians continued to use their own laws in the Islamic State and had their own judges.[136][137][138] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

The descendants of Muhammad's uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib rallied discontented non-Arab converts (mawali), poor Arabs, and some Shi'a against the Umayyads and overthrew them with the help of the general Abu Muslim, inaugurating the Abbasid dynasty in 750.[139]

During this time, the Delhi Sultanate took over of the Indian subcontinent. Religious missions converted Volga Bulgaria to Islam. Many Muslims also went to China to trade, virtually dominating the import and export industry of theSong Dynasty.[140] ACER TravelMate 4230 Series Laptop Keyboard

The major hadith collections were compiled during the early Abbasid era. TheJa'fari jurisprudence was formed from the teachings of Ja'far al-Sadiq while the four Sunni Madh'habs, the Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i, were established around the teachings of Abū Ḥanīfa, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Malik ibn Anas and al-Shafi'i respectively. SONY VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop Keyboard

Al-Shafi'i also codified a method to establish the reliability of hadith.[141] Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir completed the most commonly cited commentaries on the Quran, the Tafsir al-Tabari in the 9th century and the Tafsir ibn Kathir in the 14th century, respectively. Philosophers Al-Farabi and Avicenna sought to incorporate Greek principles into Islamic theology, while others like Al-Ghazali argued against them and ultimately prevailed.[142] SAMSUNG R522 Laptop Keyboard

Caliphs such as Mamun al Rashid and Al-Mu'tasim made the mutazilite philosophy an official creed and imposed it upon Muslims to follow. Mu'tazila was a Greek influenced school of speculative theology called kalam, which refers to dialectic.[143] Many orthodox Muslims rejected mutazilite doctrines and condemned their idea of the creation of the Quran. In inquisitions, Imam Hanbal refused to conform and was tortured and sent to an unlit Baghdad prison cell for nearly thirty months.[144] HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

The other branch of kalam was the Ash'ari school founded by Al-Ash'ari. Some Muslims began to question the piety of indulgence in a worldly life and emphasized poverty, humility and avoidance of sin based on renunciation of bodily desires. Ascetics such as Hasan al-Basri would inspire a movement that would evolve intoSufism.[145] DELL Precision M4500 Laptop Keyboard

Beginning in the 13th century, Sufism underwent a transformation, largely because of efforts to legitimize and reorganize the movement by Al-Ghazali, who developed the model of the Sufi order—a community of spiritual teachers and students.[146] TOSHIBA 9J.N7482.901 Laptop Keyboard

This era is sometimes called the "Islamic Golden Age".[147] Public hospitals established during this time (called Bimaristan hospitals), are considered "the first hospitals" in the modern sense of the word,[148][149] and issued the first medical diplomas to license doctors of medicine.[150][151] The Guinness World Records recognizes the University of Al Karaouine, founded in 859, as the world's oldest degree-granting university.[152] IBM Lenovo Thinkpad X301 2779 Laptop Keyboard

The doctorate is argued to date back to the licenses to teach in Muslim law schools.[153] Standards of experimental and quantification techniques, as well as the tradition of citation,[154] were introduced.[155] An important pioneer in this, Ibn Al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method and often referred to as the "world’s first true scientist".[156][157] ACER Aspire 5745 Series Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The government paid scientists the equivalent salary of professional athletes today.[154] The data used by Copernicus for hisheliocentric conclusions was gathered and Al-Jahiz proposed a theory of natural selection.[158][159] Rumi wrote some of the finest Persian poetry and is still one of the best selling poets in America. ACER KB.INT00.058 laptop keyboard

 The first Muslims states independent of a unified Muslim state emerged from the Berber Revolt (739/740-743). In 930, the Ismaili group known as the Qarmatiansunsuccessfully rebelled against the Abbassids, sacked Mecca and stole the Black Stone, which was eventually retrieved.[164] The Mongol Empire put an end to the Abbassid dynasty in 1258.[165] IBM Lenovo ThinkPad R51e-1859 laptop keyboard

 Islam spread with Muslim trade networks that extended into Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and the Malay archipelago.[166] Under theOttoman Empire, many in the Balkans became Muslim. The Muslims in China who were descended from earlier immigration began to assimilate by adopting Chinese names and culture while Nanjing became an important center of Islamic study.[167][168] SONY VAIO PCG-FR315M Laptop Keyboard

The Muslim world was generally in political decline, especially relative to the non-Islamic European powers. This decline was evident culturally; while Taqi al-Din founded an observatory in Istanbul and the Jai Singh Observatory was built in the 18th century, there was not a single Muslim country with a major observatory by the twentieth century.[169] TOSHIBA Satellite C650-15C Laptop Keyboard

The Reconquista, launched against Muslimprincipalities in Iberia, succeeded in 1492 and Muslim Italian states were lost to the Normans. By the 19th century the British Empirehad formally ended the last Mughal dynasty in India.[170] The Ottoman era ended after World War I and the Caliphate was abolished in 1924.[171][172] SONY VAIO VGN-FS115Z Laptop Keyboard

The majority Shia group at that time, the Zaydis, used the Hanafi jurisprudence, as did most Sunnis.[173][174][175] The Shia Safavid dynasty rose to power in 1501 and later conquered all of Iran.[176] The ensuing mandatory conversion of Iran to Twelver Shia Islam for the largely Sunni population also ensured the final dominance of the Twelver sect within Shiism over the Zaidi sect, the largest group amongst the Shia before the Safavid Dynasty, and the Ismaili sect.[177] HP Pavilion dv3-2304tx laptop keyboard

An important revival movement during this period include an 18th-century Salafi movement led by Ibn Abd al-Wahhab in today's Saudi Arabia. Referred to as Wahhabi, their self designation is Muwahiddun (unitarians). Building upon earlier efforts such as those by the logician Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, TOSHIBA Satellite L500-ST2522 laptop keyboard

the movement seeks to uphold monotheism and purify Islam of later innovations. Their zeal against idolatrous shrines led to the destruction of sacred tombs in Mecca and Medina, including those of the Prophet and his companions.[178] In the 19th century, the Deobandi and Barelwi movements were initiated. ASUS K030662M2 laptop keyboard

Modern times (1924–present)

Further information: Iranian revolution and Islamic revival

Contact with industrialized nations brought Muslim populations to new areas through economic migration. Many Muslims migrated as indentured servants, from mostly India and Indonesia, to the Caribbean, forming the largest Muslim populations by percentage in the Americas.[179] SONY VAIO VGN-CS220J/T laptop keyboard

The resulting urbanization and increase in trade in sub-Saharan Africa brought Muslims to settle in new areas and spread their faith, likely doubling its Muslim population between 1869 and 1914.[180]Muslim immigrants, many as guest workers, began arriving, largely from former colonies, into several Western European nations since the 1960s. Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

New Muslim intellectuals are beginning to arise, and are increasingly separating perennial Islamic beliefs from archaic cultural traditions.[181] Liberal Islamis a movement that attempts to reconcile religious tradition with modern norms of secular governance and human rights. Its supporters say that there are multiple ways to read Islam's sacred texts, and stress the need to leave room for "independent thought on religious matters".[182] Women's issues receive a significant weight in the modern discourse on Islam.[183] SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

Secular powers such as Chinese Red Guards closed many mosques and destroyed Qurans and Communist Albania became the first country to ban the practice of every religion.[184][185] In Turkey, the military carried out coups to oust Islamist governments and headscarves were, as well as in Tunisia, banned in official buildings.[186][187] About half a million Muslims were killed in Cambodia by communists whom, it is argued, viewed them as their primary enemy and wished to exterminate them since they stood out and worshipped their own god.[188] COMPAQ Presario CQ45-206TU laptop keyboard

Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood advocate Islam as a comprehensive political solution, often in spite of being banned.[189] Jamal-al-Din al-Afghani, along with his acolyte Muhammad Abduh, have been credited as forerunners of the Islamic revival.[190] In Iran, revolution replaced a secular regime with an Islamic state. In Turkey, the Islamist AK Party has democratically been in power for about a decade, Lenovo 3000 G430 4152 laptop keyboard

while Islamist parties are doing well in elections following the Arab Spring.[191] The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), consisting of Muslim countries, was established in 1969 after the burning of theAl-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.[192] Packard Bell Easynote LM81 laptop keyboard

Piety appears to be deepening worldwide.[193][194][195] In many places, the prevalence of the Islamic veil is growing increasingly common [196] and the percentage of Muslims favoring Sharia laws has increased.[197] SONY VAIO VGN-N130G/B laptop keyboard

With religious guidance increasingly available electronically, Muslims are able to access views that are strict enough for them rather than rely on state clerics who are often seen as stooges.[194] Some organizations began using the media to promote Islam such as the 24-hour TV channel, Peace TV.[198] Perhaps as a result of these efforts, most experts agree that Islam is growing faster than any other faith in East andWest Africa.[199][200] ACER TravelMate 4230 Series laptop keyboard

The largest denomination in Islam is Sunni Islam, which makes up 75%–90% of all Muslims.[7] Sunni Muslims also go by the name Ahl as-Sunnah which means "people of the tradition [of Muhammad]".[201][202] These hadiths ("reports"), recountingMuhammads words, actions, and personal characteristics, are preserved in traditions known as Al-Kutub Al-Sittah (six major books). Lenovo 3000 C200 laptop keyboard

Sunnis believe that the first four caliphs were the rightful successors to Muhammad; since God did not specify any particular leaders to succeed him and those leaders were elected. Sunnis believe that anyone who is righteous and just could be a caliph but they have to act according to the Qur'an and the Hadith, the example of Muhammad and give the people their rights.

Quran, Surat Al-Hujurat [49:13]:[87] Lenovo 3000 C200 laptop keyboard

"O mankind, indeed I have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." [203][204][205]

Sunnis believe a caliph should be elected by the whole community.[206]

The Sunnis approach God directly and there is no organized clerical hierarchy. Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

The Sunnis follow the Quran, then the Hadith. Then for legal matters not found in the Quran or the Hadith, they follow fourmadh'habs (schools of thought): Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki andShafi'i, established around the teachings of Abū Ḥanīfa, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Malik ibn Anas and al-Shafi'i respectively. SONY VAIO VGN-NW15L laptop keyboard

All four accept the validity of the others and a Muslim may choose any one that he or she finds agreeable.[207] The Salafi(also known as Ahl al-Hadith (Arabic: أهل الحديث; The people of hadith), or the pejorative term Wahhabi by its adversaries) is an ultra-orthodox Islamic movement which takes the first generation of Muslims as exemplary models.[208] SONY N860-7676-T101 laptop keyboard

Shia

Main article: Shia Islam

The Shi'a constitute 10–20% of Islam and are its second-largest branch.[8]

Shia Islam has several branches, the largest of which is the Twelvers, followed by Zaidis and Ismailis. HP G62-225DX Laptop Keyboard

After the death of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (the great grand son of Abu Bakr and Ali ibn Abi Talib) considered the sixth Imam by the Shia's, the Ismailis started to follow his son Isma'il ibn Jafar and the Twelver Shia's (Ithna Asheri) started to follow his other son Musa al-Kazim as their seventh Imam. The Zaydis follow Zayd ibn Ali, the uncle of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, as their fifth Imam. TOSHIBA Satellite P300 Laptop Keyboard

While Sunnis believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor and a caliph should be chosen by the whole community, the Twelver Shias and the Ismaili Shias believe that during Muhammad's final pilgrimage to Mecca, he appointed his son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, as his successor in the Hadith of the pond of Khumm. As a result, they believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first Imam (leader), rejecting the legitimacy of the previous Muslim caliphs Abu Bakr, Uthman ibn al-Affan and Umar ibn al-Khattab. HP Probook 4320s Laptop Keyboard

Other smaller groups include the Bohra and Druze,[209] as well as the Alawites and Alevi.

Zaydis, the oldest branch of the Shia and the largest group amongst the Shia before the Safavid Dynasty in the sixteenth century and currently the second largest group, are the closest to the Sunnis and do not believe in the infallibility of Imāms after Husayn. Zaydis believe that on the last hour of Zayd ibn Ali, Compaq Presario CQ42-228LA Laptop Keyboard

he was betrayed by the people in Kufa who said to him: "May God have mercy on you! What do you have to say on the matter of Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab?" Zayd ibn Ali said, "I have not heard anyone in my family renouncing them both nor saying anything but good about them...when they were entrusted with government they behaved justly with the people and acted according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah.".[210][211] COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

Since Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, Imam Zayd ibn Ali, ImamsAbu Hanifa and Imam Malik ibn Anas worked together in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina along with over 70 other leading jurists and scholars. And Imam Jafar al-Sadiq and Imam Zayd ibn Ali did not them selves write any books. Therefore the Zaydis to this day and originally the Fatamids, use the Hanafi jurisprudence, as do most Sunnis.[84][212][213] HP Pavilion dv6-3056sg Laptop Keyboard

The Twelver Shia believe that the political and religious leadership of Imams come from the direct descendants of Muhammad and Ali ibn Abi Talib, also known as the Ahl al-Bayt. To Twelver Shias, an Imam rules by right of divine appointment and holds "absolute spiritual authority" among Muslims, SAMSUNG Q330-JS02 Laptop Keyboard

having final say in matters of doctrine and revelation. The Twelver Shias say their last such Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi's[116] occultated in 868 AD and will return at the end of time. However, their Imams are not allowed to introduce new laws or eradicate old ones; they are simply required to interpret and reflect the will of Allah and Muhammad.[214] HP Pavilion DV7-3065dx Laptop Keyboard

The Twelvers believe that there were 12 Imams infallible from sin and mistake [215][216][217][218] or caliphs, after Muhammad. They often cite the Hadith of the Twelve Successors as evidence. Shias prefer hadiths attributed to the Ahlul Bayt and close associates. The Twelver Shi'a follow a legal tradition called Ja'fari jurisprudence[219] HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

named after Jafar al-Sadiq (the great grand son of Ali ibn Abi Talib the fourth caliph and Abu Bakr the first caliph accepted by the Sunnis and the Zaydi Shia but not the Twelver Shia). Since Jafar al-Sadiq (702-765) did not write anything down, the books followed by the Twelver Shi'a were written by Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (864- 941), Ibn Babawayh (923-991), and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274). DELL Latitude D830 Laptop Keyboard

Some Shia branches label other Shia branches that do not agree with their doctrine as Ghulat.

Sufism is a mystical-ascetic approach to Islam that seeks to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God.[220] By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of "intuitive and emotional faculties" that one must be trained to use.[221] HP Pavilion dv6-3056sg Laptop Keyboard

However, Sufism has been criticized by the Salafi sect for what they see as an unjustified religious innovation.[222] Many Sufi orders, or tariqas, can be classified as either Sunni or Shi'a, but others classify themselves simply as "Sufi".[223][224] Like the Zaydis and most Sunnis, most of the Sufis also follow the Hanafi jurisprudence.[84][212][213] Lenovo 3000 C200 Laptop Keyboard

Hasan al-Basri lived during the time of Muhammad and was inspired by the ideas of piety and condemnation of worldliness preached by Muhammad and these ideas were later further developed by Al-Ghazali in his books on Sufism. DELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

A comprehensive 2009 demographic study of 232 countries and territories reported that 23% of the global population, or 1.57 billion people, are Muslims. Of those, it's estimated over 75–90% areSunni and 10–20% are Shi'a,[11][201][227] DELL 0PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

with a small minority belonging to other sects. Approximately 50 countries are Muslim-majority,[228] and Arabs account for around 20% of all Muslims worldwide.[229] Between 1900 and 1970 the global Muslim community grew from 200 million to 551 million;[230] between 1970 and 2009 Muslim population increased more than three times to 1.57 billion. SONY VAIO VGN-CS16G/Q Laptop Keyboard

The majority of Muslims live in Asia and Africa.[231] Approximately 62% of the world's Muslims live in Asia, with over 683 million adherents in Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.[232][233] In the Middle East, non-Arab countries such as Turkey and Iran are the largest Muslim-majority countries; in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria have the most populous Muslim communities.[234] HP G62-225DX Laptop Keyboard

Most estimates indicate that the People's Republic of China has approximately 20 to 30 million Muslims (1.5% to 2% of the population).[235][236][237][238] However, data provided by the San Diego State University's International Population Center to U.S. News & World Report suggests that China has 65.3 million Muslims.[239] HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

Islam is the second largest religion after Christianity in many European countries,[240] and is slowly catching up to that status in the Americas, with between 2,454,000, according to Pew Forum, and approximately 7 million Muslims, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in the United States.[11][241]

Economy HP G62-225DX Laptop Keyboard

Main article: Islamic economic jurisprudence

To reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, Islamic economic jurisprudence encourages trade,[93] discourages the hoarding of wealth and out laws interest bearing loans usury (the term is riba in Arabic).[94][95] Therefore wealth is taxed through Zakat, but trade is not taxed. Usury allows the rich to get richer without sharing in the risk. Profit sharing and venture capital where the lender is also exposed to risk is acceptable.[96] Hoarding of food for speculation is also discouraged.[97]

Grabbing other peoples land is also prohibited. The prohibition of usury has resulted in the development of Islamic banking. During the time of Muhammad, any money that went to the state, was immediately used to help the poor. Then in 634, Umar formally established the welfare state Bayt al-mal. IBM Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop Keyboard

The Bayt al-mal or the welfare state was for the Muslim and Non-Muslim poor, needy, elderly, orphans, widows, and the disabled. The Bayt al-mal ran for hundreds of years under theRashidun Caliphate in the 7th century and continued through the Umayyad period and well into the Abbasid era. Umar also introduced Child Benefit and Pensions for the children and the elderly.[98][99][100][101] HP Pavilion dv6-2020sa laptop keyboard

Government

Main articles: Political aspects of Islam, Islamic state, Islam and secularism, and Caliphate

Mainstream Islamic law does not distinguish between "matters of church" and "matters of state"; the scholars function as both jurists and theologians. Currently no government conforms to Islamic economic jurisprudence, they all deal in usury and in Government bonds.[102][103][104]

Military TOSHIBA Satellite P305-S8832 laptop keyboard

Main articles: Jihad, Islamic military jurisprudence, and List of expeditions of Muhammad

Jihad means "to strive or struggle" (in the way of God). Jihad, in its broadest sense, is "exerting one's utmost power, efforts, endeavors, or ability in contending with an object of disapprobation". Depending on the object being a visible enemy, the devil, and aspects of one's own self (such as sinful desires), different categories of jihad are defined.[105] HP G61-110SA laptop keyboard

Jihad, when used without any qualifier, is understood in its military aspect.[106][107] Jihad also refers to one's striving to attain religious and moral perfection.[108] Some Muslim authorities, especially among the Shi'a and Sufis, distinguish between the "greater jihad", which pertains to spiritual self-perfection, and the "lesser jihad", defined as warfare.[109] Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

In Islam there is also no compulsion in religion, as stated in surah Al-Baqara 256 in the Quran[110][111] and there are clear limits imposed, for example, in warMuhammed prohibited the killing of women, children and civilians.[112] SAMSUNG NP-N145-JP02 laptop keyboard

Within Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is usually taken to mean military exertion against non-Muslim combatants. The ultimate purpose of military jihad is debated, both within the Islamic community and without. Jihad is the only form of warfare permissible in Islamic law and may be declared against terrorists, criminal groups, rebels, apostates, SONY VAIO PCG-FR315M laptop keyboard

and leaders or states who oppress Muslims.[113][114] Most Muslims today interpret Jihad as only a defensive form of warfare.[115] Only for those vested with authority, does jihad become an individual duty. For the rest of the populace, this happens only in the case of a general mobilization.[114] For most Twelver Shias, offensive jihad can only be declared by a divinely appointed leader of the Muslim community, and as such is suspended since Muhammad al-Mahdi's[116] occultation in 868 AD.[117] SONY VAIO VGN NR480E laptop keyboard

In Muslim tradition, Muhammad (c. 570 – June 8, 632) is viewed as the last in a series of prophets.[118] During the last 22 years of his life, beginning at age 40 in 610 CE, according to the earliest surviving biographies, Muhammad reported revelations that he believed to be from God conveyed to him through the archangel Gabriel (Jibril). The content of these revelations, known as the Qur'an, was memorized and recorded by his companions.[119] HP G72-150EF Laptop Keyboard

During this time, Muhammad in Mecca preached to the people, imploring them to abandon polytheism and to worship one God. Although some converted to Islam, Muhammad and his followers were persecuted by the leading Meccan authorities. This resulted in the Migration to Abyssinia of some Muslims (to the Aksumite Empire). Many early converts to Islam, were the poor and former slaves like Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi. DELL Inspiron 6400 Laptop Keyboard

The Meccan elite felt that Muhammad was destabilising their social order by preaching about one God, racial equality and in the process giving ideas to the poor and their slaves.[120][121][122][123]  SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

After 12 years of the persecution of Muslims by the Meccans and the Meccan boycott of the Hashemites, Muhammads relatives,Muhammad and the Muslims performed the Hijra ("emigration") to the city of Medina (formerly known as Yathrib) in 622. There, with the Medinan converts (Ansar) and the Meccan migrants (Muhajirun), HP 597635-001 Laptop Keyboard

Muhammad in Medina established his political andreligious authority. A state was established in accordance with Islamic economic jurisprudence. The Constitution of Medina was formulated, instituting a number of rights and responsibilities for the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and pagan communities of Medina, bringing them within the fold of one community — the Ummah.[124][125] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

The Constitution established: the security of the community, religious freedoms, the role of Medina as a sacred place (barring all violence and weapons), the security of women, stable tribal relations within Medina, a tax system for supporting the community in time of conflict, parameters for exogenous political alliances,  DELL Vostro PP37L Laptop Keyboard

a system for granting protection of individuals, and a judicial system for resolving disputes where non-Muslims could also use their own laws. All the tribes signed the agreement to defend Madina from all external threats and to live in harmony amongst themselves. Within a few years, two battles were fought against the Meccan forces: first, the Battle of Badr in 624, which was a Muslim victory, and then a year later, when the Meccans returned to Medina, the Battle of Uhud, which ended inconclusively. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

The Arab tribes in the rest of Arabia then formed a confederation and during the Battle of the Trench besieged Medina intent on finishing off Islam. In 628, theTreaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed between Mecca and the Muslims and was broken by Mecca two years later. After the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah many more people converted to Islam. Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

At the same time, Meccan trade routes were cut off as Muhammad brought surrounding desert tribes under his control.[126] By 629 Muhammad was victorious in the nearly bloodless Conquest of Mecca, and by the time of his death in 632 (at the age of 62) he united the tribes of Arabia into a single religious polity.[127] SONY VAIO VGN-N11S laptop keyboard

There are many terms in Islam to refer to religiously sanctioned positions of Islam, but "jurist" generally refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in several fields of Islamic studies. In a broader sense, the term ulema is used to describe the body of Muslim clergy who have completed several years of training and study of Islamic sciences, such as a mufti, qadi, faqih, or muhaddith. SONY VAIO VGN-FZ72B laptop keyboard

Some Muslims include under this term the village mullahs,imams, and maulvis—who have attained only the lowest rungs on the ladder of Islamic scholarship; other Muslims would say that clerics must meet higher standards to be considered ulama (singular Aalim). Some Muslims practise ijtihad whereby they do not accept the authority of clergy.[86]  Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

Education is considered very important to Muslims, so that they could distinguish right from wrong, but when it comes to entry into heaven, the most noble in the sight of Allah are the most righteous and they may be honest, compassionate and helpful to other but not necessary very educated.[87] Packard Bell Easynote TM98 laptop keyboard

Etiquette and diet

Main articles: Adab (behavior) and Islamic dietary laws

Many practices fall in the category of adab, or Islamic etiquette. This includes greeting others with "as-salamu `alaykum" ("peace be unto you"), sayingbismillah ("in the name of God") before meals, and using only the right hand for eating and drinking. Islamic hygienic practices mainly fall into the category of personal cleanliness and health. TOSHIBA Satellite M645-S4112 laptop keyboard

Circumcision of male offspring is also practiced in Islam. Islamic burial rituals include saying the Salat al-Janazah("funeral prayer") over the bathed and enshrouded dead body, and burying it in a grave. Muslims are restricted in their diet. SONY VGN-FE48E laptop keyboard

Prohibited foods include pork products, blood, carrion, and alcohol. All meat must come from a herbivorous animal slaughtered in the name of God by a Muslim, Jew, or Christian, with the exception of game that one has hunted or fished for oneself. Food permissible for Muslims is known as halal food.[88] Lenovo 3000 G430 4152 laptop keyboard

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The basic unit of Islamic society is the family, and Islam defines the obligations and legal rights of family members. The father is seen as financially responsible for his family, and is obliged to cater for their well-being. The division ofinheritance is specified in the Qur'an, which states that most of it is to pass to the immediate family, while a portion is set aside for the payment of debts and the making of bequests. IBM Thinkpad Z60m laptop keyboard

With some exceptions, the woman's share of inheritance is generally half of that of a man with the same rights of succession.[89] Marriage in Islam is a civil contract which consists of an offer and acceptance between two qualified parties in the presence of two witnesses. The groom is required to pay a bridal gift (mahr) to the bride, as stipulated in the contract.[90] SONY KFRMBA152A laptop keyboard

Marrying more than one woman was practiced in Arab culture before Islam arrived, therefore it is addressed in the Quran(verse 4:3) limiting the number of wives to four and only if a man could treat them with fairness and equity. Some scholars have considered this permissibility a way of seeing men bear responsibility for all their mates and ensure that the physical paternity of a child is always known. HP Pavilion dv6-2150es laptop keyboard

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Other scholars think that verse 4:3 refers to a situation after a battle (battle of Uhud) caused large loss of men. Pre-modern Muslim scholars took this granted, however, beginning in the twentieth century, it became the subject of debate among feminists. Most families in the Islamic world are monogamous as the rule is a conditional permission not a recommendation.[91][92] SONY VAIO VGN-N17G laptop keyboard

HP G72-150EF laptop keyboard