A billion people from a wide range of races, nationalities and cultures around the world, from the southern Philippines to Nigeria, are united by their common Islamic faith. The largest Muslim community in the world is found in Indonesia, and approximately 18% live in the Arab world. Much of Asia and much of Africa are Muslim. Significant minorities are found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe. Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God has revealed through all His prophets to every people. Islam is not only a religion but also a complete way of life and comprises one fifth of the world's population. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely serious events that have been associated with their faith. Muslims believe in the One, Unique, Incomparable God and the Angels created by him. Also there are prophets through whom his revelations were brought to mankind. They believe in the Day of Judgment and that each individual is responsible for their own actions. Furthermore, God has complete authority over human destiny and there is life after death. In Islam there is a chain of prophets that begins with Adam and includes Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jonah, John the Baptist and Jesus. It is believed that Peace be upon all the prophets. But God's final message to man, a reaffirmation of the eternal message and a summary of all that came before, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad through Gabriel. In Islam the Quran is a sacred record of the exact words revealed by God through the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad then dictated... in the middle of the paper...... action. Muslims believe that by cutting themselves off from worldly comforts, even for a short period of time, a person who fasts gains true sympathy for those who suffer from hunger and growth in their spiritual life. The annual pilgrimage also known as Hajj to Mecca is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. However, around two million people travel to Mecca every year from all corners of the globe, providing a unique opportunity for people from different nations to meet. Although Mecca is always full of visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so the Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments that eliminate class and cultural distinctions, so that everyone is equal before God.