Whereas the word Islam means submission to the will of God and peace ; Whereas the primary scripture of Islam is the Quran; Whereas Muslims consider the Quran in its original Arabic to be the book of divine guidance; Whereas, although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the revelation of Islam to the seventh century; Whereas Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity; Whereas Islam is the fastest growing religion of the world; Whereas it is estimated that there are approximately 1,800,000,000 Muslims worldwide; Whereas Islam contains in itself the essential principles of all earlier religions; Whereas Islam is a strongly monotheistic religion with the worship of one God as its central theme; Whereas Islam is a complete system of strong moral convictions that promote peace, equality, and social justice; Whereas Islam encourages service to humanity; Whereas Islam teaches abstaining from worldly desires in favor of spiritual achievements; Whereas Islam instills a genuine love of God; Whereas the fundamental Muslim practices are known as the Five Pillars of Islam; Whereas the five pillars are shahadah (declaration of faith), salat (daily prayers), zakat (giving of alms), sawm (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca); Whereas the five daily prayers remove any barriers between believers praying in congregations and helps one refrain from committing sins; Whereas the obligatory charity purifies a person from selfishness and encourages empathy to the poor; Whereas fasting in Ramadan promotes self-restraint and spiritual renewal for Muslims worldwide; Whereas the pilgrimage to Mecca serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse background together in religious celebration; Whereas Muslims consider Islam to be a way of life; and Whereas carrying out these obligations provides the framework of a Muslim’s life, and weaves their everyday activities and their beliefs into a single cloth of religious devotion: Now, therefore, be it