A billion people from a wide range of races, nationalities and cultures across the world, from the southern Philippines to Nigeria, are united by their common Islamic faith. The world's largest Muslim community is in Indonesia, and around 18% live in the Arab world. Much of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim. Significant minorities are found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe. Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed to every people through all his prophets. Islam is not only a religion but also a way of life in its own right and represents a fifth of the world's population. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely serious events that have become associated with their faith. Muslims believe in the One, Unique and Incomparable God and the angels he created. Moreover, they are prophets through whom his revelations were brought to humanity. They believe in Judgment Day and that each individual is responsible for their own actions. Furthermore, God has complete authority over human destiny and there is life after death. In Islam, there is a chain of prophets beginning with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jonah, John the Baptist and Jesus. It is believed that peace is upon all the prophets. But God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summary of all that came before, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel. In Islam, the Quran is a sacred record of the exact words revealed by God through the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad and then dictated...... middle of paper ......ation. Muslims believe that by cutting oneself off from the comforts of the world, even for a short time, a person who fasts gains true sympathy for those who are hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life. The annual pilgrimage also known as Hajj to Mecca is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, around two million people travel to Mecca every year from all corners of the world, providing a unique opportunity for people from different nations to meet. Although Mecca is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so Hajj and Ramadan sometimes fall in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothing: simple clothing that eliminates distinctions of class and culture, so that all are equal before God..