There are many myths and misconceptions about Islam. Islam is a religion followed by 1.6 billion Muslims around the world. Just as in any religion, not all Muslims have the same ideology, political belief system, sexual orientation or attitudes. Muslims are as diverse as any other group of people.
However, in order to understand Islam better overall, we have compiled some general information about many members of the Muslim faith.
Islam was founded in the seventh century on the Arabian Peninsula. At over 1,400 years old, it is older than Sikhism, Hasidic Judaism, Mormonism, the Baha’i faith, and the Methodist church.
Some Muslims say hello to one another with the greeting salaam (above)—a word that means “peace.”
Islam is an Arabic word meaning “submission to God.” The three-letter root at the heart of the word Islam (s-l-m) is also found in the name of those who follow Islam: Muslim, a word that roughly translates to “one who submits.”
Many Muslims believe that Adam, Abraham, David, and Jesus were prophets. They also believe that Mary was a messenger of God, whose Arabic name is Allah. Muslims believe that Muhammad was a prophet, and, as a sign of respect, some say the phrase “peace be upon him” after saying his name.
There is no single kind of Muslim head covering. Some Muslim women do not cover their heads at all, others do so in different ways depending on their personal preference, region and cultural customs.
While it is common in the Northwest to see women wearing a headscarf called the hijab, Muslim women in other parts of the world might wear different types of coverings, such as the chador in Iran, the niqab, covering all but the eyes, or a burqa, which covers the whole head with a screen for the eyes.
The word “hijab” also is used to refer to the veil in general.
Religious provisions prevent Muslims from consuming alcohol. This is ironic, since a Muslim chemist named Jabir ibn Hayyan invented the process known as distillation in the year 800.
Without distillation, spirits such as brandy, vodka, and rum would not exist. Between the 8th and 13th centuries, the Islamic Golden Age led to significant global advances in science, mathematics and writing.
There are over 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. C
ountries that have a large population of Muslims include Indonesia, Egypt, and Nigeria. Muslim nations have produced dozens of women presidents and prime ministers, in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Bangladesh. Sixty percent of Muslims worldwide live in Asia.
There are over 3 million Muslims in the United States. Well-known U.S. Muslims include Dr. Mehmet Oz, Shaquille O’Neal, Janet Jackson, and the late Casey Kasem.
Islam is organized around five pillars: faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
There are different branches of Islam as well as different beliefs, with Sunnis the largest branch, representing about 90 percent of Muslims worldwide.
Sources: Pew Research Center, New York Times, NBC News
