; al-islām (listen (help·info)), "submission (to the will of God)") is a monotheistic faith and the world's second-largest religion with approximately 1.3 billion adherents. Islam is considered an Abrahamic religion, along with Christianity and Judaism. Followers of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that God (Allāh in Arabic) revealed his divine word directly to mankind through many prophets, and that Muhammad was the final prophet of Islam.
Etymology
Arabic islām derives from the triconsonantal root Sīn-Lām-Mīm, with a basic meaning of "to surrender; to obey". Islām is a verbal abstract to this root, and literally means "submission/obedience," referring to submission to God. Salām, meaning "peace", is from the same root, compare the cognate word in Hebrew, shalom, which derives from the cognate root meaning "completeness, fulfillment, well-being", a concept usually encapsulated by translation in the word "peace".
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