KEY FACTS ABOUT ISLAM

  • Islam is considered one of three major monotheistic world religions, along with Judaism and Christianity.

  • Islam is strictly monotheistic, and its central teaching is that there is one all-powerful, all-knowing God who created
    the universe. God is referred by the Arabic name, Allah.

  • In Arabic, Islam means "surrender" or "submission" -- to the will of God. Followers are known as Muslims, an
    Arabic word that means "one who surrenders to God."

  • Islam says all Muslims are equal before God, and all Muslims belong to one community, regardless of ethnic or
    national background. 

  • Islam was founded by the prophet Mohammed, who Muslims believe was the last and most important in a series of
    prophets, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

  • According to Islam, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mohammed and informed him that he was God's chosen
    messenger.

  • Mohammed was born in Mecca around A.D. 570, and settled in Medina around 622. Islam rejects the idea that God
    was ever born, a key difference with the Christian belief that Jesus was born the son of God.

  • The holy book of Islam is the Quran or Koran, which means "the timeless words of God." It has 114 chapters and
    comprises the main teachings of Islam.

  • The Quran portrays Mohammed as a human being who sometimes makes mistakes but who never sins against
    God.  Mohammed's humanity serves as a reminder that other humans can also aspire to lead a good life.

  • The core practices of Islam are known as the Five Pillars: daily prayer, faith, fasting, pilgrimage and alms giving.

  • There are an estimated 1 billion Muslims, with Indonesia being the most populous Muslim country. The faith is
    considered the world's fastest growing religion.

  • There are several sects and traditions within Islam, including Shia Islam, Sunni Islam and Sufism. Sunni Muslims
    constitute the vast majority of the world's Muslims.

  • Islamic law forbids the artistic representation of God, the prophets and -- sometimes -- of human beings in general.