Topics: Islam

Islam

Islam is the religion articulated by the Qur’an, a book considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of the single incomparable God (Allah), and by the Islamic prophet Muhammad's demonstrations and real-life examples (called the Sunnah, collected through narration of his companions in collections of Hadith). The word Islam is a homograph, having multiple meanings, and a triliteral of the word salaam, which directly translates as peace. Other meanings include submission, or the total surrender of oneself to God (see Islam (term)). When the two root words are put together, the word 'Islam' gives the meaning 'Peace acquired by submission to the will of God'.



An adherent of Islam is a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to God)". The word Muslim is the active participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before, including, notably, to the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Islamic tradition holds that previous messages and revelations have been changed and distorted over time.



Religious practices include the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five duties that unite Muslims into a community. Islamic law (Arabic: Shariah) touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from dietary laws and banking to warfare, welfare, and Jihad. The vast majority of Muslims belong to one of two major denominations, the Sunni (87-90%) and Shi'a (10-13%).



Islam is the predominant religion in much of Africa, the Middle East and major parts of Asia. Large communities are also found in China, Russia and the Caribbean. About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country, 31% in the Indian Subcontinent, and 20% in Arab countries. Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world. With 1.57 billion Muslims, Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and arguably the fastest growing religion in the world.

Source: Wikipedia