Today there are about one billion Muslims in the world and they include many races and cultures on every continent. Saudi Arabia occupies a special place in the Islamic world as the birthplace and heartland of Islam. Every Muslim must pray these five prayers and, in Saudi Arabia, offices and shops are obliged to close during those times. The Holy Qur'an is the sacred scripture of Islam, revealed by Allah to His Prophet Mohammed. There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah.
Prayer is to be performed according to prescribed rituals at appointed times each day.
At the time of prayer, the individual must face the Holy Ka'abah in Makkah. This mandates payment of a fixed proportion of a Muslim's possessions for the welfare of the entire community and especially for its neediest members. During the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadhan, Muslims must abstain from all food, drink and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. At least once in a lifetime, Muslims should make the journey to Makkah. In fact large numbers of Muslims from all over the world come to Makkah each year in the performance of Haj.