[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1090 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1090

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


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                    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 Resolution 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 Arabic 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 Medina, Saudi Arabia, the first day of which began the Islamic 
        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 convictions 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 
        Arabia);
Whereas the 5 daily prayers remove any barriers between believers praying in 
        congregations and helps one refrain from committing sins;
Whereas the obligatory charity purifies a person from selfishness and encourages 
        empathy to the poor;
Whereas fasting in Ramadan promotes self-restraint and spiritual renewal for 
        Muslims worldwide;
Whereas the pilgrimage to Mecca serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing 
        followers of diverse background together 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 framework of a Muslim's 
        life, and weaves their everyday activities and their beliefs into a 
        single cloth of religious devotion: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, To demonstrate solidarity with and support for members of 
the community of Islam in the United States and throughout the world, 
the House of Representatives recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the 
great religions of the world.
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