Are there any Muslims who don't fast on Ramadan?
Unfortunately there are many who don't fast. Also there are many misconceptions. Most non muslims think that Islam is so strict that a person has to fast no matter what.There are many conditions under which a muslim is allowed to not keep fast. Few of them include :- 1. If person has disease which can get severe because of fast.2. If person is too old to fast.3. If person is in travel and would find it difficult to fast.4. If a lady is pregnant or has a child which needs breast feeding.5. Also it is not mandatory for a small child. After a certain age only its mandatory.As you can see from above conditions most of the genuine hard conditions are taken off. So Islam does not mean to torture you. It takes care of unreasonable situations.Now, coming to the second part of your question. Muslims eat at least two meals. One early morning(Sehr) before sunrise and one straight after sunset(Iftaar). Sehr is in fact is encouraged and it is explicitly asked by Prophet that people should do Sehr and not avoid it. In most other religions concept of eating early morning is not there. Therefore, it becomes harder to fast. As far as eating a lot is concerned, the human stomach has some capacity and certainly no one can stuff more then that. Actually, it is not that hard to fast. Once you have fasted for the first few days, the rest becomes easy. In fact even kids as young as in 9th standards keep full fast without any problem. Ramadaan does not mean a muslim should leave all work and just lie like an animal. And certainly it is no torture. The pleasure you get when you put the first morsel of food in your stomach at Iftaar and first sip of water is unparalleled. It will make you realise how important water is, and how important any food which you do not even think of eating normally is. You will start feeling for those who have no food to eat. Saying this is different, but ones you experience it you would understand better. Also it will make you more thankful to God, that he made you lucky enough to enjoy these things without any contribution of yours.
Ramadan - If Im not mistaken, didnt the Sikh religion?
Sikh religion did not come out of Islam. Rather, Sikh religion was an answer to Islam from the true God. The Muslims under the Mughals tortured the Hindus and Sikhs. The Sikhs later under their 10th and last Guru Gobind Singhji took upto arms. Before that, they were peaceful. Guru Gobind Singhji created the Khalsa or the Pure to defend the innocents, that is, the Sikhs and the Hindus from the tyrant and cruel Muslim Mughals and their Muslim generals. The Mughals killed the small sons of Aurangzeb brutally - when the sons refused to convert to Islam. Banda Singh Bahadur Bairagi, a true disciple of Guru Gobind Singh vowed to avenge the death of the Guru's son. He was indeed a LION and was able to realize the vow. Later, he was captured by the Mughals. The story that follows in the link - of the last day of the great Sikh will move to tears all right thinking people. http://www.sanghparivar.org/blog/kishan-chowbene/banda-singh-bahudur-a-great-sikh Banda Singh Bairagi was horribly tortured and killed by the Mughals. I feel that the Sikh religion was an answer to the violent Islam by God. Guru Nanak Dev was the founder of the Sikh religion - he travelled upto Assam/Bangladesh in the East and upto Kaaba in the West. Guru Nanak Dev was a witness to the brutality of Babur, the Mughal emperor. Guru Nanak Dev believed in one true God. He said that there is One Truth, called the God (Omkar or the Hindu Aum). Ek sat, wohi Onkar. --- Akaal Purush -- Sachcha Badshah - Wahe Guru Guru Nanak in Mecca http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Nanak_in_Mecca Particularly read the Karni Nama and the Raj Nama at the end of the article. Edit:- It would be interesting to know that just some three/four decades back that almost every Hindu family in Punjab converted one of its child to Sikhism. Like, if a Hindu family had three or four children - one son would be converted to Sikh religion. So, Sikh religion has more to do with Hinduism. One could say, that it is a militant arm of the Hindus which the Gurus had foreseen would be needed to fight the terrorists in the coming years. The true Sikh is a soldier of the Guru. He is pure (khalsa). Sat Sri Akal. Wahe Guruji Ki Fateh. Wahe Guruji ka Khalsa..
What are the main differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims?
Shias believe that the Holy Prophet's (s.a.w.) cousin, Hadhrat Ali (r.a.) was truly the 1st Islamic caliph while Sunnis believe that he (r.a.) was truly the 4th Islamic caliph instead. Sunnis believe that the Holy Prophet's (s.a.w.) friend, Hadhrat Abu Bakar (r.a.) was truly the 1st Islamic caliph while Shias believe that he (r.a.) wasn't elected as the Islamic caliph at all, along with the Holy Prophet's (s.a.w.) two other companions, that is, Hadhrat Omar (r.a.) & Hadhrat Othman (r.a.). Shias believe that all prophets & messengers of Allah (s.w.t.) doesn't commit any mistakes at all while Sunnis doesn't believe in that. Shias believe that the Holy Prophet's (s.a.w.) two other companions, Hadhrat Muawiyah & Hadhrat Yazid, were apostates & enemies of Islam. Shias use either words like "Wahabbis", "Nasibis" or "Salafis" when referring to those people (including non-Shia Muslims) who dislike their sect & its followers. Shias believe that their 12th Shia Imam is actually the Imam Mahdi (a.s.) while Sunnis believe that only Allah (s.w.t.) knows who will be the Imam Mahdi (a.s.) specifically. "Can their differences be compared to the differences between Catholics and Protestants?" = Somehow, I'd say yes. Hope this helps.