King+Cobras~+North

****__ What are the Five Pillars of Islam? __**   
 * North Africa
 * Declaration of Faith ****: declaring belief in one God and in Muhammad as God’s final messenger**
 * Prayer ****: saying prayers five times a day: at dawn, at midday, in the afternoon, at sunset, and in the evening**
 * Almsgiving ****: donating a portion of one’s wealth to the needy**
 * Fasting ****: not eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset during the ninth month in the Muslim year, Ramadan**
 * Pilgrimage ****: Making the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime if able**

**How does Islam affect the people of North Africa?**
Religion is an important part in the lives of North Africans. Islam is the major religion in North Africa and more than 95% of North Africans practice this religion. People who practice this religion are called Muslims. The Muslim people, similar to the Christians and Jews, worship one god. They worship Allah, meaning god in Arabic. They believe that Muhammad was God’s final messenger. They also believed that the Old Testament prophets and Jesus were God’s messengers. The main duties of the Islam people are outlined in the Five Pillars of Islam. Islam’s holy book is called the Quran. It teaches about god and also is a guide to life. The Islamic System of Laws is based on the Quran as are family life, business, practices, banking, and government. The religion of Islam and the Arabic language unifies the North Africans. Most North Africans are Arabs, but there are other ethnic groups also. One of these ethnic groups is the Berbers. There are about 20 million Berbers in North Africa. Most Berbers speak Arabic as well as Berber. Some live in cities, but most make a living by herding and farming. Even though North Africans live different lives, Islam serves as a common bond of culture between North Africans. Cultural diffusion is when cultures spread. Cultural diffusion often occurs when people travel. When they travel, they bring customs and ideas. Cultural diffusion is common in North Africa because it is trade hub because of its location. All the trading with Asia, Europe, and Africa has made them culturally diverse. North Africa is also being influenced by Western culture. Some Muslims are worried that this will lead to the loss of the Muslim ways and traditions. All of Africa is working hard to preserve their traditions as their countries modernize.



What allows the people of North Africa to stay cool when the place they live in is among the hottest in the earth? The people in North Africa stay cool by constantly making sun dried mud bricks that are very thick and very heavy which insulate the people in North Africa these thick walls are extremely useful and important to keep the people from dehydration and to keep cool the people also wear light clothes.



Vocabulary: Adobe: a brick house.

**Vocabulary**

 * __Cultural Diffusion__** – The movement of customs and ideas from one culture to another.
 * __Bazaar__** - A traditional open-air market with rows of shops of stalls

**Resources:**
World Explorer Eastern Hemisphere World Explorer Africa