Omani Islam
The state is responsible for teaching the Koran. Oman has over 400 Koranic schools where boys and girls are introduced to the religion and its scriptures. There are vacation centers where the Koran is taught, and the Diwan of the Royal Court organizes an annual Koran memorization competition. In keeping with the precepts of Islam, pork is extremely rare in Oman, if not exorbitantly expensive. As far as alcohol is concerned, only certain licensed bars or large hotels are allowed to serve it. Non-Muslim individuals also need a license to be able to buy alcohol in specialized stores.
The main lines of Islam
A Muslim is someone who submits to Allah and adheres to the dogmas of the Muslim religion. One is born a Muslim. Allah is the God of Muslims, and Mohammed is their prophet. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 571, into a rather poor family. When his parents died, he was entrusted to his grandfather, then to his uncle, a wealthy merchant who trained him throughout his travels. At the age of 25, he married Khadidja. They had four daughters and adopted a son: Ali, his uncle's son. It was in 610 that Muhammad had his first vision and heard voices. This voice was that of God, speaking through the angel Gabriel, and it remained with him until his death. It is the words of God transmitted by the angel Gabriel that form the Koran. After the death of his wife in 619, Mohammed experienced some tribulations and, in 622, decided to leave Mecca for Medina. This flight to Medina marked the beginning of the Hegira, the founding date of the Muslim era. Over the years, Mohammed grew into the stature of a head of state. God continued to speak to him, and new revelations concerned the organization of a constitutional state, the rights and duties of citizens, and so on. Mohammed died in 632, without having left a will legitimizing his succession, which gave rise to discord within Islam and led to the separation of the community into two branches, the Sunnis and the Shiites, from which the Kharidjites emerged. While the faith bases of these different branches are similar, they differ in terms of daily practice, the application of Sharia law, everyday life and representations. The ibadism practiced in Oman is a movement derived from khâridjism.
Ibadism
In 657, 25 years after Muhammad's death, the fourth caliph, Ali, saw his authority challenged by the governor of Damascus, Mu'awiya, soon to be proclaimed the new caliph. Ali's supporters became the Shiites, and those who accepted the verdict the Sunnis. But the dissenters split, and "those who go out" (khâriji) became the khâridjites, Muslims who did not accept that human arbitration should replace God's judgment. They fought against the troops of Ali and Mu'awiya, did not fall into line and dispersed into a multitude of sects of varying degrees of rigor. Egalitarian and puritanical, they were, according to some experts, the "Calvinists" of Islam. The only ones left today are the Ibadites, as they appeared at the beginning of the 8th century in Iraq. in Iraq, masters of Yemen in 756 and of Oman from 749, founders of a doctrine at the root of kingdoms such as that of the Rostémides in central Algeria - a golden age to which the Berbers of the Mzab, Algerian ibadites established in Ghardaïa, and also a few communities in Djerba, Jebel Nefoussa in Libya and Zanzibar bear witness today. This ultra-minority cult (1% of Islam) is renowned for its simplicity and moderation, and places great importance on the spiritual values and moral qualities of the individual.
The 5 Pillars
Religion is omnipresent in the country's economic and social life. The five pillars of Islam are rigorously respected and encouraged by the government.
Zakat or legal alms. This is a kind of purifying tax, the amount of which is determined by the Koran. It is a religious tax, levied by the Ministry, which every Muslim has a duty to pay on behalf of the needy.
Sawm or Ramadan fasting month. Since the Muslim calendar is lunar, the month of Ramadan changes every year. Throughout this month, Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations during the day. It's also a time for good deeds. Daily life in the country, social habits and working hours change, to enable Muslims to fulfill their duty of fasting and prayer. Non-Muslims must also refrain from drinking, eating or smoking in the street during fasting hours.
Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca. The Ministry is responsible for coordinating pilgrims' travel. It registers them, then prepares them spiritually and physically. The Omani Hajj Mission comprises some forty members, including medical staff and law enforcement representatives.
Salat or ritual prayer. This must be said five times a day, and only in Arabic. The call to prayer is made by the muezzin from the top of the minaret of each mosque, at times determined by the position of the sun. The first prayer is at dawn, around 4-5am. With 10,000 mosques in Oman, the call is heard by all! Mosques are off-limits to non-Muslims, with the exception of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat.
Shahada or profession of faith. It consists of a single sentence: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet
Freedom of worship
Omanis are tolerant not only of their Muslim brethren, but also of the other religions of the foreign community, which can worship in complete freedom. Christians, for example, are free to attend their churches. In Muscat, Catholics gather at Saints-Pierre-et-Paul and Holy Spirit, in Sohar at Saint-Antoine church and in Salalah at Saint-François-Xavier. Regular services are held for Protestants from the capital at Ruwi. Hindus can worship at the Krishna temple in Darsait and at the "historic" temple in Old Muscat, near the Sultan's Palace, dedicated to Shiva.
