What is Islam?

how did Muslims maintain this happy life in the past, and what had happened that took the power form them?

OH man, I'm really surprised by this response. You've got to be Arab, aren't you?
I don't know what to say.. but I can say that it's not a general rule of course.. I have a friend whose from rich countries, and in fact I believe that she is rich.. I consider here a genius. She studies translation and I hope that she might join us one day in this forum.. now, she's a hardworking young lady, whenever I talk to here I feel how serious she takes life.
but I can say that, from my observations, I have seen the majority of Muslims now don't know what they are up to.. they seem to me that they don't know why there were born, even poor ones, they just want money to come to them without any effort.
Your closing sentence was not so clear to me:

[quote]Bush needs to kick those filthy rich corrupted Arab Sheiks (Kings), back to the future

well, sir.
I'm Muslim, from Syria.
But I might not be as those who you discribe... I'm so much different. I'm not prasing myself.. I won't talk so much about it, but I hope that you will notice it yourself

Recently, we have been witnessing mutual and extremely growing dislike, if we can call it, between Western countries and Muslims'. We can say 90% of the world's news is about Islamic countries. Why is that?
It looks like most of the Muslims don't care about what is being said about them. Can we say that they are obstinate, or they are just too proud, or it is about because of something they have a strong faith in, as I have heard many of them saying?
I'm going to give a brief idea about Islam and then we can hear your opinions.
Muslims worship only one God, whom, according to them, knows everything and have the greatest power and who has created the universe. This point was one of the points the Pope spoke about in his latest speech which cause Muslims to demonstrate all over the world.
Their holy book is called Koran (Qura'an) , which is the major source of legislation for Muslims. It holds a pride of place at the very center of Muslim religious life and practice, so they try their best to memorize it. They say that it was told by God to his prophet Mohammad who thereby passed it to his followers who passed it to their sons and so one. They say that the Koran is the only true version, which is exactly the same as was told by God to the prophet.
The prophet of Islam is Muhammad. Apparently, Muslims owe him a great respect that they cannot forgive any one who disdains or hurts him, and we have all seen what happened when the Danish newspaper had drew cartoons about him. Muhammad was born in Mecca. He belonged to the clan of Hashim, a poor but respected branch of the prestigious and influential tribe of Quraysh. His father died before he was born, and after his mother's death when he was six, he was brought up by his uncle Abu Talib. He displayed an acute moral sensitivity at an early age, and he was known as al-Amin ("the trusted one"). Like his fellow tribesmen, he became a trader and made several journeys to Syria. He then began to manage the business of a rich widow, Khadija; she was greatly impressed by both his honesty and ability, and she shortly offered him marriage, which he accepted at the age of 25.
Now, back to Islam, it has five pillars.
1) pronouncing the confession of faith (shahada or kalima);
(2) performing the five daily prayers (salat);
(3) fasting during the month of Ramadan (saum);
(4) paying the alms tax (zakat);
(5) and performing, at least once in life, the major pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).

The Place of Islam in History:
Islam is considered the fastest growing religion. Islam spread through conversion and military conquest throughout the Middle East and North Africa. By 733, just 100 years after the death of Muhammad, an ordered Islamic state stretched from India in the east to Spain in the west.
During Muhammad's time, the country, though poor, had managed to be very successful, and law was applicable to all classes of people.
The golden age, if we can call it, of the Islamic caliphate was during the early Abbasid times. The country, by that time, had settled and Muslims began to turn to science and learning, and they did it pretty well. Many Muslim scientists had a great impact on modern science. For example, Algebra; The word algebra comes from the Arabic al-jabr, meaning restoration. During the 9th century Islamic mathematicians systemized algebra, which they called the science of restoration and balancing.
Although Muslims are not now living in their golden ages as they were in the past, it is amazing to look at their history. It's an important question which needs an answer: how did Muslims maintain this happy life in the past, and what had happened that took the power form them?

It's an important question which needs an answer: how did Muslims maintain this happy life in the past, and what had happened that took the power form them? [/b]

It looks like most of the Muslims don't care about what is being said about them.

We DON'T NEED BUSH TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AND COME TO OCCUPY OUR CONTIRES.

What do you think about the despot rulers of some Islamic countries ?. If the Islamic people arn't willing to or don't have the power to kick them out, who will ?

I don't think these people are setting a good example of the true Islamic way of life. How do you think these people will change ?