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'''Islam''' is one of the major world religions with an estimated 1.3 billion followers worldwide [http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]. The name ''Islam'' comes from an Arabic term meaning ''submission'', a reference to the central belief that the goal of religion, or of a true believer, is submission to God's will. Adherents of Islam are referred to as ''Muslims''.

Islam teaches that [[God]] (in Arabic, ''AllAllah'') revealed his direct word and commands for mankind to Muhammad (c. 570–632) in the form of the Qur'an (also ''Koran''), and to other [[prophet]]s (including [[Adam]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], and [[Jesus]]), many of whom are [[Bible|Biblical]] figures shared with Christianity and [[Judaism]]. Despite admitting the ministry of prophets earlier than Muhammad, Islam asserts that the primary written record of God's revelation to humankind is the Qur'an, which Muslims believe to be flawless, immutable, and the final revelation of God. Islam has been termed one of the the three Abrahamic religions, along with Christianity and Judiasm. Islam teaches that parts of the [[Bible]] have been forgotten, misinterpreted, or distorted by Christians and Jews. Given this perspective, Islam views the Qur'an as corrective of Jewish and Christian scriptures. Muslims do not hold the divinity of [[Jesus Christ]] and his unique salvific role, and the teachings of Islam in this respect have been likened to a compound [[heresy]] composed of elements of [[Arianism]], [[Nestorianism]], and [[Docetism]] ("''...They did not kill him [Jesus] and they did not crucify him, but it was made to seem so to them...''" Qur'an, 4:157), with some [[Pelagianism|Pelagian]] and also [[Monarchianism|Monarchianistic]] (i.e., anti-Trinitarian)] elements. Muslims hold that Islam is essentially the same belief as that of all the messengers sent by God to mankind since [[Adam]], with the Qur'�?n (the one definitive text of the Muslim faith) codifying the final revelation of God. Islam views Judaism and Christianity as incomplete derivatives of the teachings of certain prophets - notably [[Abraham]] - and therefore acknowledges their Abrahamic roots, whilst the Qur'an calls them People of the Book.  Islam has three primary branches of belief, based largely on a historical disagreement over the succession of authority after Muhammad's death. These are known as Sunni, Shi'ite, and Kharijite. ==Orthodoxy and Islam==* [[A History of Orthodox Missions Among the Muslims]]* Saints of the Orthodox Church who converted from Islam: St. [[Serapion of Kozheozero]], St. [[Constantine Hagarit]], St. [[Ahmed the Deftedar]], St. [[Abu of Tbilisi]], St. [[Peter and Stephan of Kazan]]. * [[Orthodox Women Saints and Islam]] {{stub}} <!-- Some topics for future development: * St. [[John of Damascus]] - Historical dialogue with Muslims. Theological issues.* The [[Turkokratia]]* Converts from Islam to Orthodoxy (and the Coptic Church), Martyrs to Islam* Islam and [[Iconoclasm]] - an influence?* Relations and dialogue with Orthodox Churches.* Contemporary situation of Orthodox Christians living in Muslim countries: Persecution of Christians in Islamic countries - video in German: [http://www.copts-united.com/Copts_United_N/TV_Video_Clips/vdo/ARD_Christen_Verfolgungen_30Mai05_Part1.htm Part 1], [http://www.copts-united.com/Copts_United_N/TV_Video_Clips/vdo/ARD_Christen_Verfolgungen_30Mai05_Part2.htm Part 2]* Islam in the Balkans - Kosovo and Serbia* The Cossacks and the borderlands* The Coptic situation, Ethiopia and Etitrea: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4909378.stm], [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/29328], [http://americandaily.com/article/12174], [http://americandaily.com/article/12143], [http://americandaily.com/article/12158], [http://www.copts.net/detail.asp?id=899], [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022202437.html], [http://www.copts.net/], ...* [http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/092906zakaria.aspx Coptic Father Zakaria Boutros Talking Truth to the Muslim World] (Links to some of Fr Zakaria sites: [http://www.hewaralhaq.com/], [http://www.fatherzakaria.com/], [http://jesusforall.tv/])* [http://www.enjoyfrance.com/content/view/589/36/ The mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenian Orthodox Christians in Turkey around 1915]* Situation in Iraq: [http://www.kaldaya.net/DailyNews_Oct06/News_Oc11_2006_E1.html Abducted and raped, young Christian women and girls are driven to suicide in Iraq], [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=7471 Orthodox priest abducted and beheaded in Iraq] --> [[Category:Non-Orthodox]]