Who are the Muslims?

The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of Islam (submission to the will and law of God)”. The five pillars of Islam provide the framework for the Muslim way of life. These are, the declaration of faith, ve daily prayers, giving charity, fasting during the month of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime. The message of Islam is universal, and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality, over 80% of the world’s Muslims are not Arabs!

If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia to Ireland - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from many different races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed teachings and laws of God the Exalted. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts basing his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God.