Islam was formed in 622 CE in the Arabian Peninsula. “Islam” is an Arabic word meaning “acceptance,” “surrender,” “submission,” or “commitment” and is closely related to the Arabic word for peace (salaam; in Hebrew, shalom). Followers or followers of Islam are called Muslims, literally those who make peace. Muslims are those who surrender to the will of God (Allah, in Arabic) in all aspects of their lives and enjoy the resulting peace with God and each other. Today there are approximately 1.5 billion Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad gave the name Islam to the religious movement he founded, creating the Islam we know today. Several events could be considered the beginning of Islam, notably the life of Muhammad, or the Hegira. If we are looking for the beginning of Islam in a sacred event, then perhaps it is in the Night of Power (laylat al-qadar), when Muhammad received the call to be God's messenger. In the Islamic worldview, the origins of the faith lie in the initial creation of the universe and everything in it, including the first parents, Adam and his wife. For a time all creatures lived in perfect peace, but then the First Parents were tempted by Iblis and disobeyed God's rules. As a result, Adam and his wife were banished from Paradise, although God reassured Adam that the banishment was temporary. God promised to send messengers to Adam and his offspring, and these messengers would bring God's guidance. One of God's most important messengers was Abraham (Arabic, Ibrahim), who was called by God to leave his home in Ur (in present-day Iraq). ). Abraham (whose name means "Father of Many Nations") is revered in the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as the ideal model of pure faith in the one true God. Abraham...... middle of paper ......aled through the use of the first person plural ("we"). The original, divine version of the earthly book is considered co-eternal with God, either in heaven or in the mind of God. Translations into other languages, far removed from the sacred Arabic words and sounds, do not constitute the literal word of God and are classified as interpretations. All Muslims memorize verses from the Arabic Quran, as these must be recited during daily ritual prayer. The ritual prayer has remained in Arabic despite the fact that most Muslims live outside the Middle East, giving Muslims a sense of great unity across the world as the liturgy of worship has never changed. The most pious Muslims, men and women, even those who are not known as religious figures in Islam, will memorize the entire Quran in Arabic. Those who do this are known as hafiz or hafiza..