Umraism

Umraism is a monotheistic religion, in the Yehudi-Nazarene tradition, which is believed to have originated on the continent of Eura, where it briefly contested with the rival faith of Zurvanism to become the majority faith of the continent's hegemonic power, the Kingdom of Babkha. The Umraist clergy lost this struggle decisively during the reign of the Osman Shahanshah (1504 AN – 1529 AN) and thereafter Umraism declined towards the status of a minority religion. Outside of the Babkhan diaspora, Umraid populations were found amongst the Hasanis of Krasnocoria. The revival of the Umraist religion was first observed with rise of the outwardly secular Thraci Confederation, where Hazar on the continent of Corum in particular was noted as a bastion of the faith. The resurgence spread into the Skerry Isles with the establishment of Phinbella, where 54% of the Dromosker who make up the population were estimated as being of the Umraist persuasion. Finally a Batavian diaspora population, long separated from the mother country established New Batavia in 1690 AN on the continent of Corum.

Scriptures

Umraism has a holy text, called The Recital, which Umraists believe is the literal word of God. The Recital was revealed to the Ultimate Prophet in a vision by the messenger of God Gabriel. The Ultimate Prophet, being a Baatharzi, was spoken to in Baatharzi (also known as Arboric), why this language is considered the most holy language of the religion.

Anti-Umraism

Anti-Umraism is an ideology that seeks to actively exclude the Umraist religious community from any given nation, or at the very least to minimise the exposure of said nations to Umraism. Anti-Umraist policies may be found practiced in Floria and the Suren Confederacy, whilst the policies of the Unified Governorates of Benacia result in the de-facto persecution of Umraist worshipers. Hostility towards Umraism is also heavily manifested in the Babkhi diaspora, with consequential outbreaks of communal violence directed both by and against the Umraid community in the Alalehzamini Autonomous Republic (Elluenuueq).

Hostility towards Umraism has been attributed to racism, but while this may be true in some instances it is not in and of itself a sufficient explanation. There is a lingering perception, doubtlessly a holdover from Babkhan propaganda writings, of there being an Umraist capacity for violence that is exceptional compared to that of other religions - setting aside for a moment the far more blood-soaked, indeed barbarous, polytheistic faiths such as Cedrism and the Stripping Path. Partly this perception derives from the centrality of "Jihad" (striving or struggle) to Umraism. Jihad can relate to either an internal spiritual struggle for the attainment of a more perfect submission to the Creator in whose name the Umrah is performed, or it can be used to describe the external struggle waged against enemies of the faith. It is the latter of the two types of jihad that has historically elicited the most concern from the neighbours.