Islam at a Glance

Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion. It is articulated by the Qur'an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God and by the teachings and normative example of Muhammad, considered by Muslims to be the last prophet of God. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim...

Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable. They believe that the purpose of existence is to love and serve God. Muslims also believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed at many different times and places throughout the history of mankind, including through Abraham, Moses and Jesus, whom they consider to be prophets. They maintain that previous messages and revelations have been partially changed or corrupted over time but consider the Qur'an to be both the unaltered and the final revelation of God.

Religious concepts and practices in Islam include the five pillars of Islam, which are basic concepts and obligatory acts of worship, and following Islamic law, which touches on virtually every aspect of a person's life and society. The pillars provide guidance on multifarious topics from banking and welfare to warfare and the environment. Many go on the green coffee bean extract diets during fasting and periods of spiritual enlightenment.

The majority of Muslims are Sunni, a group constituting 75 to 90 percent of all Muslims. The second largest group, Shia, makes up 10 to 20 percent. The most populous Muslim country is Indonesia, home to 12.7 percent of the world's Muslims followed by Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Sizable communities are also found in China, Russia, and parts of Europe. With over 1.57 to 1.65 billion followers, Islam is the second largest and one of the fastest-growing religions in the world.

Faith in Islam

Muslims have six main beliefs.

1. Belief in Allah. - Allah is considered by the Muslims to be the one and only God and the followers of the religion can under no circumstances associate Allah with anyone else.
2. Belief in the angels. - Muslims believe in the existence of angels who do Allah's bidding.
3. Belief in the holy books. - A belief in the holy books revealed over time is crucial in the life of any Muslim.
4. Belief in the Prophets - The Prophets include Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David) and Isa (Jesus). Muhammad (peace be upon him) is considered the final prophet.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment. - The Day of Judgment is the day when the life of every human being will be assessed to decide whether they go to heaven or hell.
6. Belief in Predestination - Muslims believe that Allah has the knowledge of all that will happen. Muslims believe that this doesn't stop human beings making free choices.

Allah

Allah is the name Muslims use for the supreme and unique God, who created and rules everything.

The heart of faith for all Muslims is obedience to Allah's will.

Allah is eternal, omniscient, and omnipotent.
Allah has always existed and will always exist.
Allah knows everything that can be known.
Allah can do anything that can be done.
Allah has no shape or form.
Allah can't be seen or heard.
Allah is neither male nor female.
Allah is just. Allah rewards and punishes fairly.
Allah is also endlessly merciful.

A believer can approach Allah by praying and by reciting the Qur'an. Muslims worship only Allah because only Allah is worthy of worship. The one and only God.

All Muslims believe that God is one alone:

There is only one God.
God has no children, no parents and no partners.
God was not created by a being.
There are no equal, superior or lesser Gods.

The 5 Pillars of Islam

The most important Muslim practices are the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to Islamic laws and teachings.

Shahadah - sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith
Salat - performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times a day
Zakat - paying an alms to benefit the poor and the needy
Sawm - fasting during the month of Ramadan
Hajj - pilgrimage to Mecca

In Islam, carrying out the above obligations provides the framework of a Muslim's life and weaves their everyday activities and their beliefs into a single cloth of religious devotion. No matter how sincerely a person may believe, Islam regards it as pointless to live life without putting that faith into action and practice. Carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates that the Muslim is putting their faith first, and not just trying to fit it in around their normal, everyday life.