In Azerbaijan, religious beliefs vary according to location, age, and in some cases education and economic standing. Most would agree that over the last ten years, there has been greater recognition of the role the Islamic faith has played in shaping holiday celebrations, world views, and collective and individual identity. As religion is practiced in the United States, so to is it practiced in Azerbaijan, with a spectrum of practitioners ranging from atheist and secular to conservative and orthodox. Belief is generally considered a choice of the individual and tolerance of different practices and degrees is appreciated.

The two major branches of Islam are the Sunni, which forms the majority of Muslims, and the Shi’a. The majority of Azeribaijanis today are Shi’a Muslims, while much of the Islamic population of the rest of the former Soviet Union is Sunni Muslim. The religion’s founding is conventionally dated to 610 AD, by the Prophet Muhammad, who is its central figure. He preached the word of God as revealed to him by the angel Gabriel. Islam is the Arabic word for submission; those who practice it are called Muslims, or “those who submit” (to God). The sunna, the “saying and doings” of Muhammad, serves as a guide to spiritual, ethical, and social life and consists of the Qur’an (Koran), a compilation of the word of God spoken to Muhammad, and the hadith, the saying and teachings of the Prophet.

Traditionally, Muslims practice what are known as the Five Pillars of Islam: reciting the creed, praying daily, giving alms, fasting, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Prayer is conducted five times a day, facing Mecca, and Muslims are expected to make a pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Islam accepts what its adherents are able to practice under given circumstances, which allowed Muslims to adapt to the restrictions Soviets placed on religion. Under communist rule, only a few Muslims each year made the pilgrimage. Since the collapse of the USSR a resurgence of interest in Islam has seen many mosques restored or rebuilt. On a note of mutual tolerance, the remaining mosques in Baku serve both Shi’a and Sunni Muslims.

When worshipping, men typically pray together at a mosque, while women pray at home. Women are allowed to worship in mosques, but must do so in areas separate from men. The ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar year is Ramadan, when adherents fast during daylight hours, but may eat after the sun goes down. (Neither children nor the sick are expected to participate in this ritual.)

"Cultural Handbook for the East European and Eurasian States" American Councils for International Eduction: ACTR/ACCELS, ed. Lisa A. Choate and Dan E. Davidson
http://www.americancouncils.org/pdfs/cultural_handbook_03.pdf