God is referred to by his Arabic name Allah, most likely derived from al-ilah, literally meaning "The God."
Muslims see their relationship with God as an intimate one in which God's creation of human beings is a blessing, and his laws and restrictions are an act of grace providing guidance in this life.
For many Muslims the Quran is the single greatest sign of God in the physical universe; it provides the instructions on how to live your life, and it acts as a source of ethical guidance.
The word "Hadith" primarily means a communication or narrative in general; the whole body of the sacred tradition of Isalm is called the "Hadith" and the formal study of it the "Science of Hadith."
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the model of behavior for Muslims who try and follow his example, or Sunna, and collected anecdotes of his life, called ahadiths, represent a religious source that are second only to the Quran.
The "orthodox" tradition of the legal scholars and theologians does not recognize the existence of a clergy in Islam, yet many Muslims firmly believe in the possibility of a mediator between individuals and Allah.
