The Islamic faith is very much in the news today. This book explores what it means to be a Muslim. It tells the story of Islam and traces its worldwide growth. It looks at the importance of the Five Pillars of the faith; the significance of the pilgrimage to Mecca and of Ramadan; it discusses the role of women in the Muslim world; the reasons for dietary customs and laws; and the tensions in the religion created by the recent return among some to fundamentalist principles.