Who Is Allah

The most fundamental belief that a Muslim has is that "There is only One God" the Creator, the Sustainer -- known in the Arabic language and by Muslims as Allah. Allah is not a foreign god, nor an idol. Arabic-speaking Christians use the same word for the Almighty.

The fundamental pillar of faith in Islam is to testify that "there is no deity worthy of worship except the One True Almighty God" (in Arabic: "La ilaha ill Allah").

In the Qur'an, we read that Allah is Compassionate and Merciful. He is Kind, Loving, and Wise. He is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Healer. He is the One who Guides, the One who Protects, the One who Forgives. There are traditionally ninety-nine names, or attributes, that Muslims use to describe Allah's nature.

Some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Allah is an "Arab god," a "moon god," or some sort of idol. Allah is the proper name of the One True God, in the Arabic language used by Muslims all over the world. Allah is a name that is neither feminine nor masculine, and it cannot be made plural (unlike god, gods, goddess, etc). Muslims believe that there is nothing in the heavens nor on earth that deserves worship except Allah, the One True Creator.

Islam is based on the concept of Tawhid, or Unity of God. Muslims are strictly monotheistic, and fiercely reject any attempt to make God visible or human. Islam rejects any form of idol worship, even if it is an attempt to get "closer" to God, and rejects the Trinity or any attempt to make God human.

"Say, 'He is Allah, the One;
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begets not, and neither is He begotten;
And there is nothing that can be compared to Him."
Qur'an 112:1-4

In Muslim understanding, God is beyond our sight and understanding, yet at the same time "nearer to us than our jugular vein" (Qur'an 50:16). Muslims pray directly to God, with no intermediary, and seek guidance from Him alone, because "...Allah knows well the secrets of your hearts" (Qur'an 5:7).

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me,
I am indeed close (to them).
I respond to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me.
Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me,
that they may walk in the right way."
Qur'an 2:186

In the Qur'an, people are asked to look around them for the signs of Allah in the natural world. The balance of the world, the rhythms of life, are "signs for those who would believe." The universe is in perfect order: the orbits of the planets, the cycles of life and death, the seasons of the year, the mountains and the rivers, the mysteries of the human body. This order and balance are not haphazard nor random. The world, and everything in it, has been created with a perfect plan, by the One who knows all.

Islam is a natural faith, a religion of responsibility, purpose, balance, discipline, and simplicity. To be a Muslim is to live your life remembering God and striving to follow His merciful guidance.

How Many Muslim and Where They are

Islam is a major world religion, with over 1 billion followers worldwide (1/5 of the world population). It is considered one of the Abrahamic, monotheistic faiths, along with Judaism and Christianity. Although usually associated with the Arabs of the Middle East, less than 10% of Muslims are in fact Arab. Muslims are found all over the world, of every nation, color and race.

Nearly one in five people in the world today claims the faith of Islam. A diverse community of believers spans the globe. Over fifty countries have Muslim-majority populations, while other groups of believers are clustered in minority communities on nearly every continent.

Although Islam is often associated with the Arab world and the Middle East, fewer than 15% of Muslims are Arab.

Distribution of Muslims

Africa	308,660,000	27.4%
Asia	778,362,000	69.1%
Europe	32,032,000	2.8%
Latin America	1,356,000	0.1%
North America	5,530,000	0.5%
Oceania	385,000	0.0%
World	1,126,325,000	100%

Source: Britannica Yearbook, 1997

Countries with Muslim Populations of 10% or more (1996)

Country	# in millions
Indonesia	182.2 m
Pakistan	136.9 m
Bangladesh	115.0 m
India	108.6 m
Iran	63.9 m
Turkey	61.0 m
Egypt	51.6 m
Nigeria	40.2 m
Algeria	29.1 m
China *	29.1 m
Morocco	29.1 m
Iraq	21.4 m
Sudan	20.4 m
Ethiopia	18.3 m
Afghanistan	18.0 m
Yemen	16.1 m
Saudi Arabia	16.0 m
Uzbekistan	15.9 m
Malaysia	10.5 m
Mali	9.4 m
Tunisia	9.0 m
Somalia	8.5 m
Senegal	7.7 m
Niger	7.5 m
Kazakhstan	6.9 m
Guinea	6.5 m
Azerbaijan	6.1 m
Cote d'Ivoire	5.9 m
Libya	5.2 m
Tajikstan	5.2 m
Burkina Faso	5.0 m
Jordan	3.6 m
Syria	3.5 m
Cameroon	3.1 m
Turkmenistan	3.1 m
Chad	2.9 m
Ghana	2.8 m
Kyrgyzstan	2.8 m
Israel (Palestine)	2.4 m
Mauritania	2.3 m
Mozambique	2.3 m
Sierra Leone	2.0 m
Bosnia	1.8 m
Serbia	1.8 m
United Arab Emirates	1.8 m
Lebanon	1.7 m
Oman	1.7 m
Malawi	1.5 m
Tanzania	1.5 m
Albania	1.4 m
Bulgaria	1.3 m
Brunei	1.2 m
Kuwait	1.2 m
Benin	0.95 m
Gambia	0.94 m
Togo	0.85 m
Macedonia	0.59 m
Bahrain	0.51 m
Comoros	0.51 m
Guinea Bissau	0.49 m
Qatar	0.47 m
Djibouti	0.45 m
Singapore	0.44 m
Liberia	0.40 m
Maldives	0.25 m
Mauritius	0.19 m
Sahara	0.13 m
Suriname	0.10 m
Cyprus	0.04 m
Gibraltar	0.003 m

* Muslims in China represent 2.4% of the population.

Introduction To Islam

What is Islam?

The name of the religion is Islam, which comes from an Arabic root word meaning "peace" and "submission." Islam teaches that one can only find peace in one's life by submitting to Almighty God (Allah) in heart, soul and deed. The same Arabic root word gives us "Salaam alaykum," ("Peace be with you"), the universal Muslim greeting.

Who is a Muslim?

A person who believes in and consciously follows Islam is called a Muslim, also from the same root word. So, the religion is called "Islam," and a person who believes in and follows it is a "Muslim."