Islam ( Arabic : الإسلام al-'islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] ( listen )
is the religion articulated by the
Qur'an , a book considered by itsadherents to be the verbatim word of
the single incomparable God ( Arabic : الله, Allāh ), and by the
Islamic prophet Muhammad 's demonstrations and real-life examples
(called the Sunnah , collected through narration of his
companions in collections of Hadith ). The word Islam, a triliteral of
the word salaam , is a
homograph , having multiple meanings, including peace and surrender
(to God). Adherents are known as Muslims, which is the active
participle of the verb of which Islām is the infinitive. Muslims
regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a
monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before,
including, notably, to the prophets Abraham ,
Moses and Jesus . Islamic tradition holds that previous messages and
revelations have been
changed and distorted over time. Religious practices includethe Five
Pillars of Islam , which are five duties that unite Muslims into a
community. Islamic law ( Arabic : شريعة Šarīʿah) touches on virtually
every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from dietary
laws and banking to warfare , welfare , and Jihad . Almost all Muslims
belong to one of two major denominations, the
Sunni (87-90%) and Shi'a (10-13%). Islam is the predominant religion
in much of Africa , the Middle East and major parts of Asia . Large
communities are also found in China , Russia and the Caribbean .
Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of
the world. With 1.57 billion Muslims (see Islam by country ), Islam is
the second-largest religion in the world and arguably the fastest
growing religion in the world .