Islam is a religion founded by Muhammad (also spelled Muhammed; Mohammad: or Mohammed) in the seventh century; in 610 A.D. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final prophet of a long line of prophets that included Moses and Jesus. He recorded “his revelation from Allah” which occurred over a 23-year period in the Quran (also spelled Qur’an, or Koran) means “that which is to be read.” This religion is originated in Mecca, which is located in the country of Saudi Arabia.

Islam is an Arabic word and means “submission” or “surrender” to the will of Allah.

It is a religion of surrendering one’s life to Allah (Muslim’s god) and his will. Allah in Arabic means “the One and Only true, Universal God of all.” This term is used in the Arabic Bible for “God.” These terms are synonymous however; this does not mean that the Allah of the Quran and the God of the Bible are revealed to have the same nature, character, and personality.

According to the Encyclopedia of Religion, the word 'Allah' is a pre-Islamic name...corresponding to the Babylonian 'Bel' (Baal)."  "Middle East scholar E.M. Wherry, says, in pre-Islamic times Allah-worship, as well as the worship of Baal, was both astral religions, in that they involved the worship of the sun, the moon, and the stars."                                        

The Crescent moon, which was the symbol of moon worship, is also the symbol of Islam.   It is printed on the flags of many Islamic countries and placed on top of minarets and mosques.

About 20 percent of world’s population is Muslims. Muslim (the followers of this religion “Islam”) means the person who submits. Submission to Allah’s will is a strong characteristic of this religion. Just believing in Allah is not enough but to surrender completely to Allah!

Some estimate as high as 1.4 billion Muslims are in the world. Therefore:

  

·        One out of four or five persons on Earth claims to be a Muslim!

·        Over 65 nations in the world are Islamic.

·        There are 7 million Muslims in U.S.A.

·        There are 307 million Muslims in Africa.

·        There are 778 million Muslims in Asia.

·        There are 32 million Muslims in Europe.

·        There are 1.4 million Muslims in Latin America.

·        The highest concentration of Muslims in the world is in South Asia-Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

·        There are 100 million Muslims in India, although this country is predominantly Hindu.

·        Indonesia is the single largest Muslim nation in the world (nearly 150 million Muslims)

·        Muslims are in the majority in 45 African and Asian countries.

·        Over 60 million Muslims live in the region of the former Soviet Union in Central Asia.

·        China has nearly 25 million Muslims living in the northwest and in small enclaves scattered throughout the nation.

·        Presently, Islam is the world’s second largest religion after Christianity.

·        It is estimated that Muslims constitute 85 percent of the population in 32 countries.

·        Not all Arabs are Muslims and not all Muslims are Arabs! Just 40% of Muslims are Arabs.

·        Almost half of the 300 million Arabs are under the age of 15.

·        Many Arab Muslims live in the central Middle East.

·        There are only 2-3 Christian missionaries for every 1 million Muslims!

  

The facts about Islam

 

The following are some real teachings of Islam:

Sura (chapter) from Quran

·        Men are superior to women (sura 2:228)

·        Women have half the rights of men in court witness (sura 2:282)

and in inheritance (sura 4:11)

 

·        A man may punish his wife by beating her (sura 4:34)

·        A man may marry up to four wives at the same time (sura 4:3)

·        A wife is a sex object for her husband (sura 2:223)

·        Muslims must fight until their opponents submit to Islam

(sura 9:29)

 

·        A Muslim must not take a Jew or a Christian for a friend

(sura 5:51)

·        A Muslim apostate must be killed (sura 9:12)

·        Stealing is punished by amputation of the hands (sura 5:38)

·        Adultery is punished by public flogging (sura 24:2)

·        Resisting Islam is punished by death, crucifixion or the cutting

off of the hands and feet (sura 5:33)

·        Fate decides everyone’s eternal destination (sura 17:13)

·        Every Muslim will pass through Hell (sura 19:71)

·        Heaven in Islam is the place where a Muslim will be reclining, eating meals and delicious fruits, drinking exquisite wines, and engaging in sex with virgins (sura 55:54-56) & (sura 52:17,19)

And enjoying young boys! (sura 52:24),(sura 56:17) & (sura76:19)