3. Sunni traditions and rituals

Among Sunni Muslims, the followings were the dominant traditions:

1. Athari :  textual interpretation is to avoid delving into extensive theological speculation. They avoid to discuss about the Islamic beliefs that Quran didn't mention about.
2. Ash'ari : the tradition founded by  Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (873–935) and accepted by many scholars. It stresses divine revelation over human reason. Unlike the Mu'tazilites, they say that ethics cannot be derived from human reason, but that God's commands, following Quran. They tend to stress divine omnipotence over human free will and Quran is eternal.
3. Maturidi : the tradition  founded by Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (~944). Minority until it was accepted by the Turkish tribes of Central Asia. Maturidis argue that the knowledge of God's existence can be derived through pure reason.

http://www.patheos.com/Library/Sunni-Islam/Ritual-Worship-Devotion-Symbolism.html (Sunni Rituals)

6. How did Sunni Islam develop

The roots of Sunni Islam lie in the earliest sectarian divides that affected the Muslim community immediately after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

Sunni Islam was not a singular movement or the result of any one person's approach to religion, but rather a broad tradition stemming from diverse and organic developments in the early Muslim community.
Sunni Islam started from the Middle East and now has spread to the large areas around the orginated spot.

7. Demographics of Sunni Islam

Estimates of the world Sunni population varies from over 75% to 90% of all Muslims.

Sunni Muslims dominate in Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa.
Algeria is nearly 99% Sunni (Sunni Islam is the state religion), Kuwait is 70% and Afghanistan is 80% Sunni. Sunnis also outnumber Shi'ites in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Sudan (70%), Syria (80%), Tajikistan (85%), Libya (97%), Jordan (92%) and certain islands like the Maldives, Comoros (98%) and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (80%).
The number of adherents of Sunni Islam is about 940 million.

5. Sunni Islam vs. Shia(Shi'ites) Islam

Meaning of Name

• Sunni : "well-trodden path" or "tradition"
• Shia : "party" or "partisan"

Current Adherents

• Sunni : 940 million (90%)
• Shia : 120 million (10%)

Origins

• Sunni : c.632 CE
• Shia : c.632-650 CE

Al Mahdi

• Sunni : will come true
• Shia : was already on the Earth but hidden now.

Meaning of Imams

• Sunni : Human leaders
• Shia : infallible manifestations of God and perfect interpreters of the Qur'an

Holy Cities

• Sunni : Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem
• Shia : Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Najaf, Karbala

4. Islam vs. Christianity & Judaism

Date founded

• Islam : 622 CE
• Christianity : c. 33 AD
• Judaism : Unknown

Place founded

• Islam : Saudi Arabia
• Christianity : Palestine
• Judaism : Palestine

Founder/Prophet

• Islam : Muhammad
• Christianity : Jesus
• Judaism : Moses or Abraham

Names of God

• Islam : Allah
• Christianity : Yahweh, the Holy Trinity
• Judaism : Yahweh, Elohim

Holy Texts

• Islam : Quran
• Christianity : Bible
• Judaism : Bible

Place of worship

• Islam : Mosque
• Christianity : Chapel, church, cathedral
• Judaism : Synagogue

http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/comparison_charts/islam_judaism_christianity.htm

1. Mosque : Place of Worship

 Muslims worship in a holy builiding called a mosque and prayers held on Friday is are the most important. Mosque is called masjid in Arabic, which means house of worship. Before making their prayers, Muslims must wash their hands, their face, parts of their arms and head, and their feet in a ritual manner.

 The decoration in the mosque should not contain the pictures of people or animals because Muslims cannot worship the people or animals, but only Allah. Mosque decoration often has done in these three ways : Verses from the Koran in Arabic, the pictures of the famous mosques, and geometrical patterns.
The geometric patterns are common in mosque. Square and rectangle play a significant role in Islamic architecture.  The first recalls the principles that govern the order of the world. These principles include the bare basics of what makes objects structurally sound and, by extension, beautiful (i.e. the angle and the fixed/static shapes that it creates—esp. the truss). In the first mode, each repeating geometric form has a built-in symbolism ascribed to it. For example, the square, with its four equilateral sides, is symbolic of the equally important elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water. Without any one of the four, the physical world, represented by a circle that inscribes the square, would collapse upon itself and cease to exist. The second mode is based upon the flowing nature of plant forms. This mode recalls the feminine nature of life giving. In addition, upon inspection of the many examples of Arabesque art, some would argue that there is in fact a third mode, the mode of Arabic calligraphy.

Interior mosque decoration



Dome of the Rock



2. Holy book and holy days

 The holy book of Islam is Qur'an and is also called Koran.
Quran is the final scripture that Muslims believe in, because all of the previous holy scriptures had been corrupted or lost. The major, previous holy scriptures are Torah, Psalms, and Gospel. Quran is composed of verses (Ayah) that make up 114 chapters (suras) of unequal length which are classified either as Meccan or Medinan depending upon their place and time of revelation. Muslims believe the Quran to be verbally revealed through angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) from God to Muhammad gradually over a period of approximately 23 years beginning in 610 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death.


The six most important Islamic holy days are New Years, Ashura, Mawlid, Ramadan, Id al-Fitr, and Id al-Adha.
New Year is celebrated on the beginning of the first lunar month and also called Al-Hijra or Muharram.
For Sunni Muslims, Ashura is a day of fasting that was originally observed by Jews to recall when God saved the Children of Israel from the Pharoah in Egypt. Muhammad made it compulsory for Muslims as well.
Mawlid is a celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam in 570 CE. Sunni Muslims observed it on the 12th of the lunar month of Rabi'-ul-Awwal in the Islamic calendar.
Ramadan is the holiest period in the Islamic year which is held during the entire 9th lunar month of the year. This was the month in which the Qura'n was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims are expected to fast from sunup to sundown.
Id al-Fitr is the first day of the 10th month which is the period of rejoicing.
Id al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Day of Sacrifice, occurs during the 12th month of the lunar month, following the Hajj imediately.

http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-ramadan#history-of-ramadan (Ramadan Video Clip)