The word 'Islam' in Arabic means submission and one who submits to God is a Muslim. Key to following Islam is the belief in only one God, Allah who created everything in the world and knows everything about mankind.
 | | Jersey-born Moya converted to Islam. |
There are similarities between Islam and other faiths. Muslims believe Allah sent all the prophets from Abraham through to Jesus and the prophet Muhammad who was sent with a final revelation the Koran (Qur'an), a series of teaching about how to live. Muslims follow the five pillars of Islam: - Shahadah: Believing in one God (Allah)
- Salat: Praying five times a day
- Zakat: Giving at least two and half percent of their yearly wage to the poor.
- Sawm: fasting during Ramadan
- Hajj: Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once.
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It's not hard to see how following these principals presents challenges if you're a Muslim living in a non Islamic country. | "Some Muslims do find it extremely difficult, part of that is also compounded by the fact that we don't have a fixed Islamic centre as a focal point." | | Moya Grady, a local convert to Islam, on living as a Muslim in Jersey. |
Dr Abdelbaky says that Jersey's Muslims are helped because Islam is flexible and can be followed anywhere in the world. But is it difficult to live life according to the principals of Islam in Jersey? Do Muslims feel accepted as part of island life? Moya Grady, who was born in Jersey and became a Muslim, says life can be challenging for Muslims in the island, "It's very difficult for some of them to live here because it's a totally different culture from their own country and Muslims in Jersey do experience difficulties in everyday life.
One of the main things really, is the isolation from the mainland and the main Islamic community. Some Muslims do find it extremely difficult and part of that is also compounded by the fact that we don't have a fixed Islamic centre as a focal point so that we can get together for social gatherings and religious events." To read the rest of the 'Islam in Jersey' series, simply click on Parts 2 to 6 on the right hand side of this page. Listen to Islam in Jersey This part of Jo Sokill's six-part BBC Radio Jersey series can be heard again by clicking on the audio link at the top right hand side of this page. | 
