9781422281109

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F ew images in world religion evoke as profound a sense of rev- erence as the sight of a Muslim who, upon hearing the call to prayer, stops whatever he or she is doing, rolls a prayer carpet on the floor or ground, and recites prayers to Allah (Allah is the Arabic word for God). This scene, which is repeated five times a day, is echoed in businesses, homes, schools, and in the calm of communi- ty mosques, where believers kneel side by side as they lower their foreheads to the floor and pray. But other images of Islam also abound. In the tangle of contem- porary international relations, non-Muslims with little exposure to Islam remain confused about who Muslims really are. What are their beliefs, and what values do they share in common with Jews and Christians? How do Muslims practice their faith in their everyday lives? Who are their leaders and what is the shape of their religious institutions? What beliefs and practices set the average Muslim apart from the militant extremists spoken of so often in the news? Islam’s Role in the World

Opposite: An Asian Muslim kneels to pray. Islam is one of the world’s three major monotheistic faiths, and followers of the religion, known as Muslims, can be found in every country.

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