Recognizing Islam as one of the great religions of the world.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. RES. 1090 Recognizing Islam as one of the great religions of the world. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AUGUST 21, 2020 Mr. GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. OMAR, and Ms. TLAIB) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Recognizing Islam as one of the great religions of the world. Whereas this resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Original Resolu- tion Recognizing Islam as One of the Great Religions of the World’’; Whereas the word ‘‘Islam’’ means ‘‘submission to the will of God’’ and ‘‘peace’’; Whereas the primary scripture of Islam is the Holy Quran, which has 6,236 verses, or suras; Whereas Muslims consider the Holy Quran in its original Ar- abic to be the book of divine guidance; Whereas although its roots go back further, the religion began in A.D. 622 when the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) began his travels from Mecca to Me- VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Aug 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1090.IH HR1090 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 1090 IH dina, Saudi Arabia, the first day of which began the Is- lamic calendar; Whereas Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity; Whereas Islam is the fastest growing religion of the world; Whereas it is estimated that there are approximately 1,800,000,000 Muslims worldwide; Whereas Islam is a monotheistic religion, and Allah (meaning God in Arabic) is the central deity; Whereas Islam teaches Allah has 99 names, with each one having a different meaning; Whereas Islam is a complete system of strong moral convic- tions that promotes peace, equality, and social justice; Whereas the fundamental Muslim practices are known as the Five Pillars of Islam; Whereas the five pillars are shahadah (declaration of faith), salat (prayer 5 times daily), zakat (give 2.5 percent of all earnings to charity), sawm (fasting in the month of Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Ara- bia); Whereas the 5 daily prayers remove any barriers between be- lievers praying in congregations and helps one refrain from committing sins; Whereas the obligatory charity purifies a person from selfish- ness and encourages empathy to the poor; Whereas fasting in Ramadan promotes self-restraint and spiritual renewal for Muslims worldwide; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Aug 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1090.IH HR1090 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 1090 IH Whereas the pilgrimage to Mecca serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse background to- gether in religious celebration; Whereas about 2,500,000 pilgrims visit Mecca each year for the Hajj, but in 2020 due to COVID–19, only around 1,000 pilgrims were allowed while adhering to ‘‘safety bubbles’’ and social distancing measures over fears of the coronavirus; Whereas Muslims consider Islam to be a way of life; and Whereas carrying out these obligations provides the frame- work of a Muslim’s life, and weaves their everyday activi- ties and their beliefs into a single cloth of religious devo- tion: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, To demonstrate solidarity with and support 1 for members of the community of Islam in the United 2 States and throughout the world, the House of Represent- 3 atives recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great reli- 4 gions of the world. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Aug 22, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR1090.IH HR1090 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS