[is-lahm, iz-, is-luh
m, iz-] 
| 1. | the religious faith of Muslims, based on the words and religious system founded by the prophet Muhammad and taught by the Koran, the basic principle of which is absolute submission to a unique and personal god, Allah. |
| 2. | the whole body of Muslim believers, their civilization, and the countries in which theirs is the dominant religion. |
[is-lam-ik, -lah-mik, iz-] , Is⋅lam⋅it⋅ic [is-luh-mit-ik, iz-] , adjective | Is·lam (ĭs-läm', ĭz-, ĭs'läm', ĭz'-) n.
[Arabic 'islām, submission, from 'aslama, to surrender, resign oneself, from Syriac 'ašlem, to make peace, surrender, derived stem of šlem, to be complete; see šlm in Semitic roots.] Is·lam'ic adj. |
A religion, founded by Muhammad, whose members worship the one God of Jews and Christians (God is called Allah in Arabic) and follow the teachings of the Koran. Islam means “submission to the will of God”; adherents of Islam are called Muslims. The fundamental belief of Islam is “There is only one God, and Muhammad is his prophet.”
Muslims are obliged to pray five times a day, to fast in the daytime during the holy month of Ramadan, to abstain from pork and alcohol, and to make gifts to the poor. All of them are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, Muhammad's birthplace, at least once in their lives.
Note: Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims make up the two main branches of Islam.
Note: Islam is the dominant faith in Arab nations, a number of countries of central Asia, and Malaysia and Indonesia.