Muslims, as do Jews, Christians, and other faith groups, believe that this life is a temporal realm, to be viewed as a preparation ground for what is to come after. The afterlife is comprised of resurrection, the Day of Judgment and then either a blissful paradise or a blazing hell.

Muslims, as a matter of principle and faith, are to respect and care for the elderly. It is quite common to find children, parents, grandparents and sometimes even great grandparents all living together in the same home. In the Islamic world there are no such things as old people's homes. If the elderly are in need of special and specific medical attention, which cannot be provided by the family or at the house, then appropriate arrangements are made, otherwise, the family remains close together as best as possible.

According to the Quran, men and women are equal before God; both created for the sole purpose of knowing, loving, and worshipping God through faith and good deeds.

O humankind! Be conscious of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread countless men and women. Be conscious of your Lord through Whom you demand your mutual rights, and honor the wombs; God is ever watchful over you. (Quran 4:1)

A healthy family structure is the foundation of any truly healthy society, and such is the Islamic ideal. The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued by Muslims and is seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members. It is quite common in the Muslim community to find large, extended families living together, thereby providing comfort, security and support to one another.

Parents are greatly respected in the Islamic tradition. Mothers, in particular are especially honored.

According to the Quran, God has created all of humankind equal, and has given each the right to pursue their own destiny. The life, honor, and property of all people in a Muslim society are considered sacred, whether the person is Muslim or not. Racism and prejudice of any sort are unacceptable in Islam. The Quran speaks of human equality in the following terms:

Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of one's faith, or on the part of those whose basic rights have been violated. It lays down strict rules of engagement, which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees, and livestock. The reality is that injustice and oppression would be rampant in the world if good people were not prepared to fight for a righteous cause.

God says in the Quran:

In today's turbulent world, Islam is often on the front page and on every TV set-mostly for the wrong reasons. Islam comes from a root word that means peace; yet some have taken this peaceful way of life and hijacked it, thereby attempting to make it into a way of violence and hatred. Seeing the rich and beautiful Islamic faith merely through explosive world events, and then further judging it by the actions of a misguided few, are the primary reasons why Islam is often misunderstood in this current age.

Muslims love and respect Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of God's prophets and messengers ever sent to humankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as "Jesus," but always adds the phrase "may the peace and blessing of God be upon him," or a similar phrase of respect and honor. The Quran confirms his virgin birth, and a special chapter of the Quran is entitled "Mary," in remembrance and honor of his mother. The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:

The angels said, "O Mary! God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations..."

The earliest interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims occurred near the beginning of the Prophet Muhammad's mission. The Prophet and his companions were greatly oppressed by the polytheists of Makkah. Concerned for their wellbeing, he sent some of his followers to seek refuge with the Negus of Abyssinia-a righteous and just Christian king. He listened attentively to the Prophet's emissary with great respect and awe, especially the Quranic description of Mary and Jesus. This description led the king and his subjects to affirm that this indeed was a revelation from God and they graciously granted the Muslims the asylum they sought.

Yes. The Quran states unequivocally:

There is no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clearly from falsehood... (Quran 2:256)

Freedom of conscience is an essential tenant of Islam. Truth can only be seen if it is not clouded by coercion. Protection of the rights of non-Muslims is an intrinsic part of Islamic sacred law. The Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:

1. TESTIMONY OF FAITH (Shahadah)

The five pillars of Islam are the basis of Muslim life and are the foundation upon which the faith itself stands. The Prophet Muhammad said:

"Islam is founded on five pillars; to testify that 'there is no deity except God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God;' to establish the ritual prayers; to give charity (to the needy); to fast during the month of Ramadan and to perform the pilgrimage to the House (in Makkah)."

Yes. The sunnah is the practice and example of the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) and is the second source of inspiration and guidance for Muslims. The Prophet's sayings and actions were meticulously documented, both orally and textually, by his contemporaries and are known as hadith.

Here are a few examples of hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace):

"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."

Muslims believe that the Quran is a complete record of the exact words revealed by God through the Archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace). It was memorized in its entirety by many of his followers, and throughout his prophetic mission it was continuously dictated to his companions and was written down by scribes who also cross-checked it during his very lifetime. Not one word of its 114 surahs (chapters) has been changed over the centuries. In summary, the Quran is in every detail the same unique and miraculous text that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over fourteen centuries ago.

The Muslim community continued to grow after Prophet Muhammad's passing (may God bless him and grant him peace). Within a few decades, vast numbers of people across three continents-Africa, Asia, and Europe-had already chosen Islam as their way of life.

One of the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the beauty and simplicity of its doctrine-Islam calls to faith in only one God and to belief and acceptance of all God's messengers. This, coupled with the Islamic concepts of equality, justice, and freedom, resulted in the formation of a united and tranquil community. People were free to travel from Spain to China without fear, and without crossing any manmade borders.