Related slides 1–2, 59
A starting point
Islam is a religion centred on worshipping one God and living responsibly before Him. The word Islam expresses submission to God. A Muslim is someone who follows this faith. Its teachings connect belief with prayer, family life, work and the way people treat others. This gallery explains those connections without assuming that you already share the faith.
The sources you will meet
The Qur'an is Islam's scripture. Muslims understand it as God's revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who lived in Arabia in the sixth and seventh centuries CE. PBUH means ‘peace be upon him’, an expression of respect. Hadith are reports of his words, actions and approvals. They are distinct from the Qur'an. Hadith collections preserve these reports and identify who transmitted them.
Four common questions
Are most Muslims Arabs? No. Muslims belong to many languages and cultures. Pew Research Center estimates that 59% of the world's Muslims lived in the Asia-Pacific region in 2020. This is a regional figure, not an ethnic count. Is Allah a separate deity belonging to Arabs? Allah is the Arabic name for God, also used by Arabic-speaking Christians, although religions differ in their understanding of God.
Do Muslims worship the Ka'bah? They worship God and face this building in Makkah as a shared prayer direction. Did Islam begin as a completely new message? Islamic teaching connects it to earlier prophets. Historians date the emergence of the Muslim community associated with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to seventh-century Arabia. These are two different ways of discussing origins.
Understanding and agreement
A religious text shows what a religion teaches. You can understand the teaching, examine its reasons and ask further questions without being expected to agree. The same care applies to Muslims' actions: a teaching, an interpretation and an individual's behaviour are not always identical.
Qur’anic verses
Qur'an 42 : 13
He has prescribed for you the religion He entrusted to Noah, what We have revealed to you, and what We entrusted to Abraham, Moses PBUH and Jesus PBUH: uphold the religion and do not divide within it. What you call people to is difficult for those who worship others alongside God. God chooses for Himself whoever He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.
Read the verse and Arabic text
Hadith
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) — Sahih Muslim 8a
Relevant passage — plain-English meaning
Faith includes belief in God, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree, in both good and hardship.
Sources: Pew 2025 [1]; Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) — Sahih Muslim 8a [4]
Read next: The six foundations of faith