Money Talks News on MSN: 3 million Muslim Americans struggle to find mortgages that don't violate their faith With only 25-45 Islamic financial institutions serving over 3 million Muslim Americans, finding a mortgage that aligns with Islamic law's prohibition on interest remains a difficult search. 3 million Muslim Americans struggle to find mortgages that don't violate their faith USA TODAY: Beliefs against borrowing with interest limits options for some Muslims In Islam The Muslim philologist Ibn al-Anbari said: a Muslim is a person who has dedicated his worship exclusively to God, for just as we say in Arabic that something is ‘ salima ’ to a person, meaning that it became solely his own, so in the same way ‘ Islām ’ means making one's religion and faith God's alone. [75] The Arabic term islām, literally “surrender,” illuminates the fundamental religious idea of Islam—that the believer (called a Muslim, from the active particle of islām) accepts surrender to the will of Allah (in Arabic, Allāh: God).

Understanding the Context

A Muslim is a person who follows Islam and believes in the oneness of Allah. Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final messenger of Allah and that the Quran is the holy book of Islam. Understanding the origins of Islam, from the life of Prophet Muhammad to the early expansion of the Muslim community, is crucial to comprehending the depth and breadth of the Muslim religion.