Facts about Islam

FOUNDER : Mohammed (ca. 570-632), the Prophet.
Sacred Texts : Koran, the words of God. The Sunnah is comprised of hadiths or collections of the sayings, acts and approvals of Mohammed.

Organization : Theoretically the state and religious communities are one, administered by a calif. In practice, Islam is a loose collection of congregations united by a very conservative tradition. Islam is basically egalitarian non-authoritarian.

Practice : Every Moslem has five duties:
1. To make the profession of faith "There is no God but Allah".
2. Pray five times a day.
3. Give a regular portion of his goods to charity.
4. Fast during the day in the month of Ramadan.
5. Make one pilgrimage to Mecca if possible.

Divisions: A dispute over succession after Mohammad's death in 632 A.D. continues to split the Moslem world into Shiites, who make up about 10 percent of Moslems and the majority of the rest Sunnis (Orthodox). Shiites believe Ali, Mohammed' son-in-law was the rightful heir and Sunnis believe it was Abu Bakr, Mohammed's close associate. Afghanistan is Sunni while Iran is mostly Shiite. The Shi'ah (Shiite) believe in twelve imans, perfect teachers, who still guide the faithful from paradise. Shi'ah practice tends more toward the ecstatic, while the Sunni is deterministic. the mystic tradition of Islam is Sufism. A Sufi adept believes he has acquired a special inner knowledge direct from Allah.

Fact: Most Arabs are Moslem but most Moslems are not Arabs. Indonesia has more Moslems than any other nation.

Location: From the west coast of Africa to the Philippines across a broad band that includes Tanzania, southern Russia and western China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. Islam claims over 2.2 million adherents in the United States, while this figure is for those who are associated with a Mosque there may be upwards of an additional 4 million more who identify themselves as Moslems.

Beliefs: strictly monotheistic. God is creator of the universe, omnipotent, just and merciful. man is God's highest creation, but limited and commits sins. He is mislead by Satan. an evil spirit. God revealed the Koran to Mohammed to guide men to the truth. Those who repent and sincerely submit to God return to a state of sinlessness. In the end, the sinless go to Paradise, a place of physical and spiritual pleasure, and the wicked burn in Hell. While Moslems believe Jesus was a prophet they abhor the idea that he is God or the only son of God.

SOME MORE FACTS

“Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people...” (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Los Angeles Times).
“Moslems are the world’s fastest-growing group...” (The Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).
“....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country.” (Geraldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).
“Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...” (Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).

Moslems believe that Jesus was not crucified. It was the plan of Jesus’ enemies to crucify him, but God saved him and raised him up to heaven to be with Him. And the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus’ enemies took this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus.

More Information. First, Islamaniacs:

http://www.falange.us/islam666.htm

Second, Human Rights and the Persecution of Christians in Islam
by Dr. Christine Schirrmacher:

http://www.falange.us/islam.htm