Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religious tradition that developed in the Middle East in the 7th century CE. Islam, which literally means "surrender" or "submission," was founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as an expression of surrender to the will of Allah - the creator and sustainer of the world. The Qur'an, the sacred text of Islam, contains the teachings of the Prophet that were revealed to him from Allah. Essential to Islam is the belief that Allah is the one and true God with no partner or equal. Islam has several branches and much variety within those branches. The two divisions within the tradition are the Sunni and Shi'a, each of which claims different means of maintaining religious authority. One of the unifying characteristics of Islam is the Five Pillars, the fundamental practices of Islam. These five practices include a ritual profession of faith, ritual prayer, the zakat (charity), fasting, and the hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca). Many Muslims are characterized by their commitment to praying to Allah five times a day. One of the defining characteristics of Islam is the primacy of sacred places including Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Muslims gather at mosques to worship Allah, pray, and study scripture. There is not a sharp distinction between the religious and secular aspects of life in Islam; all aspects of a Muslim's life are to be oriented to serving Allah. Islam expanded almost immediately beyond its birthplace in the Arabian peninsula, and now has significant influence in Africa, throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Contributors : Beth Davies-Stofka, Jacob N. Kinnard, Kathleen A. Mulhern

Muhammad received and preached the message of Islam to the people of the Arabia in the early 7th century C.E.

Islam emerged in the wealthy trading center of Mecca, and regards itself as the culmination of all previous monotheistic religions, including Judaism and Christianity.

The founder of Islam is the prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca in approximately 570 C.E.

The Quran is the sacred scripture of Islam and is believed to be the unaltered word of God. The Sunna, in its written form hadith, while not scripture, is part of the Islamic canon.

Scholars have just begun the important task of addressing the stereotyping of Islam and Muslims in the journalistic and entertainment media and in scholarship.

Immediately following Muhammad's death, the community was ruled by a succession of close companions to the Prophet chosen by a consensus of community elders.

Islam is divided into two main groups, the Sunni and the Shi'a. The mystical dimension of Islam is called Sufism and attracts Sunni and Shi'i Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Over the centuries, Muslims built a number of empires across large territories. Until 1258, the Islamic world was ruled by a single ruler, called a Caliph.

A thousand years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam had taken root in nearly every region of the globe and although varied in its theology, was not varied in practice.

The recent history of the Muslim world has been one of imperialism, war, and poverty. Islamic revival movements have emerged in various locales hoping to restore autonomy to their societies.

The sacred stories of Islam include an account of the creation of the world, and stories of the prophets, especially Muhammad.

The foundation and core of Islam is Allah, the one and only God. God is the creator of all things, including supernatural beings like angels and jinn.

Islam teaches that the purpose of existence is to love and serve God through loving and serving others. People can forget this, but prophets bear God's revelation, which shows people the way.

Suffering has purpose in Islam; it tests our faith and corrects our unbelief.

Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment and heaven and hell. Each person is responsible for the judgment he or she will receive. People are judged based on their intentions and their deeds.

The Islamic religious calendar follows a lunar pattern punctuated by a number of significant public feasts and celebrations that have both historical and theological roots.

Muslims gather for prayer and community in mosques, and seek blessings at shrines. The Grand Mosque in Mecca, which holds the Kaaba, is the most sacred place in the world.

Various rites and ceremonies accompany such important transitions as marriage, birth, and death.

The heart of Islamic worship is found in the Five Pillars of bearing witness to the oneness of God, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. Regular individual and group supplication is also core to Islamic worship.

The crescent moon and star is a widely-recognized symbol of Islam, while the colors green, white, black, red, and blue all have symbolic meaning.

The different clerical functions within Islam are filled by a special religious class called the ulama, religious scholars with authority in law and doctrine.

Muslims view themselves as part of a worldwide community, called the ummah, united in submission to God.

Muslims' ethical and moral commitments regulating their daily lives derive from their understanding of the demands of revelation and are referred to as the shariah.

The ethical obligation to command the good and forbid the evil imposes upon Muslims the duty of realizing a just society.

Muslim women and men are working for gender equality within broad limits prescribed by Islam.