Saturday, December 26, 2009

Sudan, Religion (contd-1)

Minaret in Port SudanAn estimated 70 %of the population adheres to Islam, The remainder of the population follows either Animist and Indegenous belief (25 %), or Christianity (5%). Sudan's largest Christian denominationzs are the following the Roman Catholic Church, Episcopal Church of Sudan.
Sudanese Muslims are adherents of the Sunni branch of Islam, sometimes called orthodox , by far the larger of the two major branches, the other is Shia, which is not represented in Sudan.Sunni islam in Sudan has been characterised by the formation of religious orders or brotherhoods, each of which has speial affinity o its adhernts. Sunni Islam requires of the faithful five fundamental obligations that constitute the five fundamental pillars of Islam.
1. The shahada or profession of faithis the affirmation " there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet". I is the first step to become a Muslim and a significant part of prayer.
2. Prayer at five specified times of the day. 3 Enjoins almsgiving, 4. fasting during daylight hours in he month of Ramadan. 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca for those able to perform it which occurs tweifth month of the lunar calendar. The Roman Catholic Church in Sudan is part of the world wide Roman catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope and curia in Rome.

Overview over Roman Catholic Diocesses in Sudan