For my article I decided to choose the religion of Islam. I decided to choose this religion because of its rapid growth rate. It's also different than what I'm used to growing up with, so I was interested in learning more. I had learned some basic facts after the events of September 11, but Muslim religion and culture were still a mystery to me. Choosing this topic helped me learn more about Muslims and will help me relate to them better in my future work. Background and history Islam is the religion of approximately one-fifth of the world's population and is continually growing in number. People who believe in Islam are called Muslims. It is a religion full of peace, mercy and forgiveness (basics on). Islam was founded in the 7th century AD by the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was 40 years old when the angel Gabriel revealed God's message to him. He received this message for the next twenty-three years. Muhammad memorized the message and revealed it to his companions, who transcribed it word for word. This became known as "The Quran", a record of exactly what was said to Muhammad by Gabriel during the twenty-three years (Bulletin). Fundamental Principles and Beliefs Muslims believe in one God, whom they call Allah. They believe that Allah created the angels, who then delivered Allah's revelations to the prophets. The beliefs of Muslims are based on the books of Allah. They are Allah's divine revelations to His prophets which include the Scrolls of Abraham, the Psalms, the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet after Jesus and the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures. The entire universe is governed and controlled completely by Allah. Muslims give their full trust to Allah and try to ... middle of paper ... according to my work experience. I'm happy to have learned more about their beliefs and practices, because I will have to be sensitive to this in my work. Some precessions I now know to take might be something like avoiding talking about bacon to ensure I dress more modestly. I look forward to working with Muslims and learning more about their religion and culture. Works Cited Bulletin, I. Islamic Beliefs and Practices. Retrieved from http://www.islamicbulletin.org/newsletters/issue_24/beliefs.aspx Basic Facts about Islam. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncccusa.org/interfaith/facts.htmDavis-Stofka, B. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com/Library/Islam/Ritual-Worship-Devotion-Symbolism/Worship-and-Devotion-in-Daily-Life?offset=1&max=1Haynes, C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.angelfire.com/ca/IslamicInfo/Muslim Rights.html