Fun and Interesting Facts About Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion, which was founded in the 7th century C.E. by the prophet Muhammad, who reportedly received revelations from God, which were later recorded and and organized into what is known as the Koran. Though Islam is the world's second largest religion next to Christianity, Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions of the world. Here are a few fun facts about Islam, which I hope will help you to gain a better understanding of the faith.

• Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
• The Arabic word "islam" means submission.
• Followers of Islam practice the Five Pillars of Islam: faith, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage and alms.
• Muslims pray five times daily, usually while kneeling on a mat, facing toward Ka'ba shrine, located in Mecca.
• There are four sects of Islam: Sunni, Shi'a, Sufism and Ahmadiyya. Each sect regards the others as fellow Muslims, though they are divided in beliefs on some matters of the faith.
• A chapter of the Koran is called a sura.
• A typical Muslim greeting is "as-Salam Alaikum" which means God's peace be upon you, to which the proper resonse is "wa-laikum as-Salam" which means "And God's peace be upon you."
• During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for an entire month.
• Though the Koran is translated into several languages, Muslims believe that its only true form is in its original Arabic, and translations are only an appoximation of Muhammads intended message.
• The word "jihad", though it means holy war, has two meanings, the first is the struggle against non-believers, the second is an internal struggle to remin pius in their faith and submit to the will of Allah (God).