More than 1.6 billion Muslims live throughout the world today, and they can be found in practically every country. Although this has resulted in great diversity, all Muslims are members of the umma, or community, and all share the same basic belief in a single god and his messages about how humans are expected to live their lives. Who Are the Muslims: An Overview provides a snapshot of life in the Islamic world, with an overview of the countries in which Muslims live, basic information about the beliefs shared by all Muslims, and the history of the spread of Islam throughout the world. The book also examines Islamic law and its importance to Muslims, and discusses the role of Islam in governments throughout the Islamic world. Each title in this series contains color photos throughout, maps, and back matter including: a chronology, a detailed index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions--building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader’s comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. And a Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader’s knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.