Islam is the world's second-largest faith, with an estimated 1.8 billion adherents. Muslim is the term used to refer to adherents of the Islamic faith.

This faith is thought to have originated from what is now Saudi Arabia in the seventh century B.C. Though Muslims live in a variety of countries around the world, they constitute the majority of people in a number of countries.

Seven countries have a Muslim majority of more than 90%. (Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Pakistan). Certain areas adhere to Islamic (Sharia) law. Among the most important statistics about Islam are the following:

• Islam is a monotheistic religion, believing in Allah as the only true God.

• Mosques are Islamic religious institutions.

• Islam needs its adherents to live in obedience to Allah's will.

• According to Islamic belief, the prophet Muhammad is Allah's final messenger, who received messages from Allah to share with the citizens.

• Following Muhammad's demise, other leaders ascended to his position under a regime known as the caliphate, with individual leaders referred to as caliphs.

• Islam is divided into two main sects: Sunnis and Shiites. The vast majority of Muslims (90 percent) are Sunnis.

• Muslims pray five times a day, according to a particular prayer ritual.

• Islam needs its adherents to fast during the Ramadan month.

• Muslims are supposed to make at least one pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca during their lifetimes.

• Many Muslim women cover their hair with a veil, whereas others cover most of their bodies with a niqab or burka.

• The Quran is Islam's holy text.

Hinduism originated in India around 2300 B.C. and is still widely practiced on the subcontinent. As of 2018, approximately 94 percent of Hindus reside in India. It is the world's third-largest faith, behind only Christianity and Islam in terms of adherents.

As is the case for other faiths, Hinduism is divided into several sects, each with its own set of traditions. Hinduism's fundamental principles include the following:

• According to Hinduism, God is present in life.

• In Hinduism, God is known by a variety of names and expresses himself in an endless variety of forms.

• Brahman is the universally acknowledged supreme deity (God) who created the universe. Brahaman is genderless and all-knowing, as well as all-present.

• The other two major Hindu deities are Shiva and Vishnu (gods).

• There are several additional deities (referred to as devis), demi-gods (referred to as devas), and goddesses, with major differences between sects.

• Each individual is filled with the divine essence (dubbed atman).

• Hindus believe in the afterlife, that there is a perpetual cycle of birth, life, and death on the road to enlightenment.

• A person's karma, or the net of their good & evil deeds in their previous life, determines the extent to which they will be reborn.

• Rather than a single holy book, Hinduism has a set of sacred scriptures, which include the Vedas, Samhitas, Upanishads, Ramayana, and Bhagavad Gita.

• Hinduism is not complete without the practice of yoga.

• In Hinduism, cows are considered sacred, and consuming beef is forbidden.

Siddhartha Gautama, subsequently known as the Buddha, established Buddhism in the fifth century B.C. After abandoning an excessive lifestyle of luxury, the man who became known as the Buddha attained enlightenment by renouncing his riches and status in order to live a simple monastic life. His attempts to instill in others the ability to do the same then became the basis for Buddhism.

Buddhists comprise the lion's share of the population in eastern and southeastern Asia. Buddhism is divided into various traditions, each with its own set of practices. While theism is a component of some Buddhist traditions, it is not central to Buddhism. Buddhism's guiding principles include the following:

• Buddhism is predominately concerned with enlightenment.

• The Buddha is not a god. He was a man, as Buddhists acknowledge him to be.

• Buddhism is founded on the recognition of three universal principles and four noble principles.

• Buddhists, in accordance with the concepts and truths of philosophy, pursue a course of spiritual living, thought, and behavior, as well as the pursuit of wisdom.

• Buddhists are required to adhere to five precepts.

• Buddhists are prohibited from murdering, cheating, lying, misappropriating sex, or abusing drugs or alcohol under these precepts.

• Buddhism places a premium on karma, emphasizing each individual's accountability and responsibility for their own actions.

• Buddhism adheres to the reincarnation and regeneration doctrines. Reincarnation, in the Buddhist tradition, refers to the process of returning as oneself several times, while rebirth refers to the process of returning as a completely different person.

• The Buddhist faith is comprised of a number of sacred writings, referred to as scriptures and texts, that share the Buddha's philosophy and teachings.

Of the main five faiths, Judaism is the lowest. Jewish people number approximately 14 million worldwide. About 41% of the Jewish community resides in Israel, 41% in the United States, and the rest is dispersed in Europe and other parts of North America.

Judaism is divided into several denominations, including orthodox, modern, and reform. The faith's fundamental doctrines and rituals include the following:

• Judaism is a monotheistic faith, meaning that its adherents acknowledge and obey the one true God. Indeed, it is the world's oldest monotheistic faith.

• The Ten Commandments were central to Judaism's teachings.

• Beyond God's revealed law in the Ten Commandments, morality and justice are fundamental to Judaism's teachings.

• Israel has a special place in the Jewish people's hearts and souls, both for its historical importance in regards to their religion and for its biblical designation as the promised land.

• The Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh, is the central sacred book in Judaism. It contains the same books as the Christian Bible's Old Testament, but in a different context. The Torah is comprised of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

• In Judaism, the Talmud is another sacred book. It contains a comprehensive list of Jewish laws and numerous religious teachings.

• The term "synagogue" refers to Jewish houses of worship.

• In the Jewish community, young people undergo Bar Mitzvah (boys) and Bat Mitzvah (girls) rituals to demonstrate that they have attained maturity in terms of their religious obligations.

Christianity is the biggest faith in the world, with more than 2.4 billion followers globally.

The United States is home to the largest Christian community, but Christianity is common in many other areas, including Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, many African nations, several European countries, and various Caribbean islands.

There are many variations of Christianity, including Catholicism and different protestant religions, each varying in many respects but being identical in core teachings.

• Christianity is a monotheistic faith, which means that believers claim there is only one real God.

• God's worship is a central part of Christianity.

• Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, which is symbolized by the Father's (God's) divinity, the Son's (Jesus') divinity, and the Holy Spirit's divinity.

• Christian doctrine is founded on the Old and New Testaments, which together comprise the Holy Bible. The Christian bible is available in a variety of editions; not all churches have the same version.

• Christians claim that Jesus Christ is God's Son, sent to earth as a man and messiah to redeem humanity from sin.

• The idea that Jesus died as a direct result of being put to death on a cross is fundamental to this faith, as it results in the remission of mankind's sins.

• After three days in the temple, Jesus emerged from the ground and ascended to heaven to be reunited with God.

• Christians believe in a second coming after which Jesus will come to Earth and take Christian believers with him to heaven.

• In Christian teachings, the Ten Commandments are central.