Understanding Islam

I'm going to attempt to read the Qur'an (or at least expert interpretations of it) in hopes of better understanding Islam. Qur'an means something like to read or recite in Arabic. It has 114 chapters called suras, some are long and some are only a sentence or two long. I'm certain I won't understand the Qur'an just as I find the Old Testament somewhat difficult to understand. So I guess I will be forced to search the Internet for sources that can help me better understand what I read. The translated titles of some of the chapters is somewhat different. For example, the cow; the women; the dinner table; the ant; the spider etc. I'm guessing I won't get through the whole thing (it's about as long as the New Test Testament) and I am certain I won't understand it because even scholars of Islam have difficulty interpreting it.

What do followers of Islam believe? They believe in one God, Angels, Prophets, the Qur'an (they also believe that the Torah and Bible were revealed by God), Judgement day and Heaven and Hell. Leave out the Qur'an and it sounds kind of like Christianity. Followers of Islam, like Christians, also have fallen into cults and sects.

There is way too much false information out there about Islam. Did you know the Qur'an only mentions "suicide" once (4:29)? And that suicide is forbidden. But just as Christians believe that martyrs are rewarded so too do followers of Islam. Much of the misunderstanding of Islam is due to confusing the Hadith, a collection of the traditons and sayings of Muhammad, with the Qur'an.