Islam

Islam• Islam – a word meaning literally “submission” (to the will of God)

An estimated 20% of the world’s population (~ 1 - 1.8 billion) are Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world, after Christianity.

• Muslim – a word meaning literally “submitter” (one who submits to the will of God). One who professes and practices the faith of Islam.

The Muslim faith is currently growing by 2.9% per year and is expected to grow 0.6% each year. With this projected growth, Islam is predicted to be the world’s largest religion by 2025.

Note: Definitions taken from “A Popular Dictionary of Islam” by Ian Richard Netton

Present day Muslim population around the world

Islam

• Muhammad – Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah is the professed Prophet & Founder of Islam and the faith’s most important and significant messenger.

• Qur’an (Koran) – a word meaning literally “recitation” or “the reading”. This is Islam’s holiest book, being the uncreated word of God revealed through Jibril (Gabriel) to the Prophet

Mohammad. The text consists of 114 chapters, each called a sura in Arabic, arranged so that the longest ones come first.

Note: Definitions taken from “A Popular Dictionary of Islam” by Ian Richard Netton

• Allah – the word for deity is formed from the Arabic al-llay which means literally “the God”. Allah is the eternal and uncreated Creator of the universe and of all mankind.

IslamNote: Definitions taken from “A Popular Dictionary of Islam” by Ian Richard Netton

• Hadith – a word with several meanings…but a specialist sense of tradition, i.e. a record of the sayings and doings of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions, and as such is regarded by Muslims as a source of Islamic law, dogma and ritual second only in importance to the Qur’an itself.

• Sunna – “trodden path”; indicating the customary practice of the Prophet

Muslims believe (without proof) that the revered "black stone" (Alhajar Al-Aswad) is a special divine meteorite, that pre-dates creation that fell at the foot of Adam and Eve. It is presently embedded in the southeastern corner of the Kaba. Muslims touch and kiss the black stone during Hajj but non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to even touch it.

The Umayyad Period (661 – 750)