Page 21 - Perceptions papers

population of Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. The followers of Islam are called

Muslims. Although every country, including the United States, has its own Muslim citizens, the

vast majority of Muslims live in South and South-East Asian countries like Indonesia, Pakistan,

Bangladesh, and India.

The religion of Islam started with the prophetic mission of Muhammad, the Prophet of

Islam, who was born in 572 A.D. in the modern day country of Saudi Arabia. Arabic was, and

still is, the sacred language of Islam as God revealed the Quran/Koran, Islam’s sacred book, to

the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic. However, the Quran has been translated in almost every

major world language.

Islam is an Arabic word that literally means SUBMISSION. When we submit to the

commands of ALLAH (Arabic for God), we attain PEACE, the second literal meaning and main

purpose of Islam. It is through our obedience to the one true God’s commandments and

following His prophets’ exemplary conduct that we can establish a divinely desired peaceful

human society. In addition to worshipping God, Islam requires its followers to be on their best

behavior with fellow human beings. The rights of both God and Humanity are enshrined in

Islamic theology and teachings.

Islam is a combination of a set of beliefs and practices that unite Muslims of diverse

humanity in divine unity. These Islamic beliefs are: Believing in the one true God, Allah, His

angels, His revealed books, His prophets/messengers, and the Day of Judgment. Islamic

practices or Pillars of Islam consist of: Declaration of Faith, praying five times a day, giving

charity, fasting in the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. It is through these simple

beliefs, rituals and divinely sanctioned socioeconomic practices that Islam seeks to establish a

profoundly personal and community relationship between Allah, the Lord and Sustainer of the

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