How Where And When Did Islam Begin? (Solution)

Although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it the youngest of the major world religions. Islam started in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, during the time of the prophet Muhammad’s life. Today, the faith is spreading rapidly throughout the world.

How did Islam begin?

The start of Islam is marked in the year 610, following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the age of 40. Muhammad and his followers spread the teachings of Islam throughout the Arabian peninsula. The angel recites to him the first revelations of the Quran and informs him that he is God’s prophet.

When did Islam really begin?

The history of Islam concerns the political, social, economic, and cultural developments of Islamic civilization. Most historians believe that Islam originated in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE.

Who started Islam and where?

Who was Muhammad? Muhammad was the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾān, Islam’s sacred scripture. He spent his entire life in what is now the country of Saudi Arabia, from his birth about 570 CE in Mecca to his death in 632 in Medina.

Who wrote the Quran?


Who is founder of Islam?

The Prophet Muhammad and the Origins of Islam. The rise of Islam is intrinsically linked with the Prophet Muhammad, believed by Muslims to be the last in a long line of prophets that includes Moses and Jesus.

What caused the spread of Islam?

Islam spread through military conquest, trade, pilgrimage, and missionaries. Arab Muslim forces conquered vast territories and built imperial structures over time. The caliphate—a new Islamic political structure—evolved and became more sophisticated during the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.

Who were the first Muslims?

Ali was the first Muslim convert. Ali ibn Abi Talib is considered the first Muslim convert. The early historian Ibn Ishaq and Tabari puts Ali Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law as the first male convert; Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari presents three candidates, and does not decide between them.

Which religion came first in the world?

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Today, with about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam.

What are 5 facts about Islam?

25 Interesting Facts about Islam

  • Islam means “surrender” or “submission”
  • Haji pilgrimage.
  • It’s the second largest religion in the world.
  • Muslims should pray 5 times a day.
  • The Quran is the holy book.
  • There are five pillars.
  • Jihad does not mean “holy war”
  • The original Arabic text of the Quran has not been altered.

Who built the Kaaba?

Some say that it was built by the angels. Others say the father of humankind, Adam built the Kaba but over many centuries it fell into disrepair and was lost in the mists of time, to be rebuilt by Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. All agree that the Kaba was either built or rebuilt by Prophet Abraham.

Where is Islam located?

Islam is the majority religion in several subregions: East Asia, South Asia, North Africa, the Sahel, and the Middle East. The diverse Asia-Pacific region contains the highest number of Muslims in the world, easily surpassing the combined Middle East and North Africa.

Which is older Quran or Bible?

The Bible is older than the Quran. The Quran was written by Muhammad in the 500 ADs. The Bible consists of books written centuries before. All of them were compiled into the Bible at a later time but the books themselves existed before the Quran.

What was first the Quran or the Bible?

The Bible was written first by many years. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) was writing from approximately 1200 to 160 BC (BCE). The New Testament was written from around 65 to 95 AD (CE). The Quran was written in the 7th century.

Where is the original Quran kept?

The Topkapi manuscript is an early manuscript of the Quran dated to the early 8th century. It is kept in the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, Turkey.

Teachers Guide – Muslims

Discussion and Activities
Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims
Islam Timeline

Following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the age of 40, the year 610 is commemorated as the beginning of Islamic history. Muslims all throughout the Arabian peninsula followed Muhammad and his companions in spreading the principles of Islam. Following the death of the prophet Muhammad, military expeditions were launched into what is now Egypt and other regions of North Africa, which were dubbed “futuhat,” which literally translates as “openings.” Islam expanded around the world through trade and business in various regions of the world.

In the year 570 C.E.

He is descended from a noble family and is well-known for his honesty and uprightness of moral character.

  • According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad has a visit from the angel Gabriel while on seclusion in a cave in Mecca when he reaches the age of 40.
  • Later, Muhammad is instructed to summon his people to the worship of the one God, but they respond with animosity and begin to punish him and his followers as a result of his actions.
  • After facing persecution in Mecca, Muhammad and his followers flee to the adjacent town of Yathrib (which would eventually become known as Medina), where the locals welcomed Islam.
  • Muhammad builds an Islamic kingdom in Medina, which is founded on the rules given in the Quran as well as the inspired direction he receives from the Almighty.
  • Muhammad comes to Mecca with a significant number of his supporters in the year 630 CE.
  • The prophet orders the removal of all idols and images from the Kaaba, which is thereafter rededicated to the worship of God alone.
  • after a lengthy illness.

In 638 C.E., Muslims cross the border into the region north of Arabia known as “Sham,” which encompasses Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq.

and rout the Byzantine army in the process.

Islam begins to expand over North Africa in the year 655 C.E.

This also marks the beginning of the Umayyad dynasty’s reign of terror.

The Islamic state eventually gains control over nearly the whole Iberian Peninsula.

by Charles Martel’s forces.

From 1000 C.E.

The European Crusaders capture Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099 C.E.

Islam continues to spread throughout Asia as of the year 1120 C.E.

Turkey’s Anatolia region becomes the site of the formation of the first Ottoman state in 1299 C.E.

Around the year 1800 C.E., over 30% of Africans who were forced into slavery in the United States were Muslim.

The Ottoman Empire, the last of the Islamic empires, is defeated and destroyed at the end of World War I, marking the end of the war.

Traditional religious ways of life are under attack, and in some cases, have been completely obliterated.


Even while it is founded on some Islamic concepts, it also includes several innovations, like the designation or pronouncement of Elijah Muhammad as a prophet.

Some Palestinian and Lebanese refugees, including Muslims and Christians, have fled to the United States from their home countries.

Muslim students come from all over the world to study in the United States.

opened the door even wider for Muslim immigration.

Muhammad, the son of Elijah Muhammad, takes over as head of the Nation of Islam and successfully integrates the majority of his followers into mainstream Islam.

C.E. 1979 was a year of transition. Eventually, the Iranian Revolution leads to Iran becoming known as the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is the first attempt at an Islamic state in the contemporary age.

When Did Islam Begin?

A long and complicated history has been woven into the fabric of Islam. The history of Islam is vital for Muslims to understand, which is why we’ve put together this essay, which covers the very origins of Islam and how the religion was spread around the world by Prophets who shared the teachings of Allah (SWT).

When Was Islam Founded?

A long and complicated history has been woven into Islam’s fabric. It is vital for Muslims to understand the history of their religion, which is why we’ve put together this essay, which covers the origins of Islam and how the faith expanded around the world as the Prophets shared the teachings of Allah (SWT).

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born in the Arabian city of Mecca in the year 570 A.D. His parents were Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb, and he was born in the city of Muttalib. He had a total of 13 wives, two of them gave birth to children for him. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is regarded to be the last of the 25 prophets who were chosen by Allah (SWT) to transmit His teachings throughout the world. Muhammad (PBUH) and his first wife, Khadija, lived in Mecca during the year 610 A.D., which was under the control of the Quraysh.

  • The city was in command of key commercial routes that ran from Arabia to Syria and Yemen, among other places.
  • In an attempt to get clarity after hearing voices and seeing visions, Muhammad (PBUH) frequented a cave on Mount Hira to meditate in an effort to gain clarity.
  • Even though Muhammad’s (PBUH) background included being a trader who was unable to read or write, the Angel Jibril directed him to memorize the words of Allah (SWT).
  • Following the incident, he confessed in his wife, who stood by him and supported him wholeheartedly.
  • Although some scholars dispute this, others say that it might have occurred on any of the odd-numbered nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan, if not all of them.
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He began to share some of the teachings he was receiving and gained a small following, but Arabia was still predominantly polytheistic at the time, and many people became enraged at Muhammad (PBUH), believing that pagan gods protected their trade and were fearful of what might happen to their livelihoods if they accepted Muhammad’s (PBUH) monotheistic teachings.


However, when his wife died in 619 A.D., and his uncle, Banu Hashim clan leader Abu Talib, died the next year (the year of mourning), he became exposed to assaults, despite the fact that many people did not agree with Muhammad (PBUH). He and his disciples were subjected to physical attacks, and as a result, they had no choice but to relocate to the city of Medina. Hegira is the name of the movement, which took place in 622 A.D. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was summoned to Medina by city officials in an attempt to heal the divisions that existed between different tribes residing in Medina, namely those belonging to the Arab and Jewish communities.

For his adjudication responsibilities, Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers were granted the ability to practice their faith while also being safeguarded by the government.

Return to Mecca

Muhammad (PBUH) returned to Mecca in 628 A.D. after a three-year absence. In the course of his journey, he was stopped by the Quraysh, who ultimately agreed to a peace known as the Hudaybiyah treaty. Because the Quraysh recognized and revered Muhammad (PBUH) and the religion of Islam, they decided that adherents of Islam would not experience persecution and would be treated on an equal footing with other citizens of the community.

The Evolution of Islam

In the years leading up to his death in 632 A.D., Muhammad (PBUH) continued to receive visits from the Angel Jibril, who brought him new lessons from Allah (SWT). There are five fundamental practices that underpin the Islamic religion, and they are as follows:

  • Muhammad (PBUH) continued to receive visits from the Angel Jibril, who brought him new lessons from Allah (SWT) up to his death in 632 A.D. The religion of Islam is founded on five fundamental practices, which are as follows:

Currently, there are several diverse sects within the religion of Islam, each of which adheres to a different school of thought. However, all of them are founded on the five foundations established by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the teachings he and the other twenty-four prophets shared.

Islam Now

Islam has increased in popularity since its founding in 610 A.D., and it is today the second most prevalent religion in the world. Muslims may be found in every corner of the world, and they are well appreciated by people of all religions and cultural backgrounds.


Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century CE propagated Islam, which is a prominent international religion. The Arabic termislam, which literally translates as “submission,” illustrates the essential theological notion of Islam: that the believer (also known as a Muslim, from the active component ofislam) accepts surrender to the will ofAllah (in Arabic, Allah is translated as “God”). According to Islam, Allah is the one God, who is the creator, sustainer, and restorer of the universe.

  1. In Islam, Muhammad is regarded as the final prophet in a line of prophets that includes Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Solomon, and Jesus, and his teaching both summarizes and completes the “revelations” credited to preceding prophets, according to Islamic tradition.
  2. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, there were more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the globe.
  3. Britannica QuizIslam What is your level of knowledge about the Prophet Muhammad?
  4. With this quiz, you may see how well you know about Islam.

The essential ideas and practices of Islam, as well as the relationship between religion and society in the Islamic world, are discussed in the article Islamic world. The history of the numerous peoples who have adopted Islam is also discussed in the article Islamic world.

The foundations of Islam

When Islam was first introduced to the world, Muhammad instilled in his followers an understanding of brotherhood as well as a shared commitment to their faith. These qualities contributed to the development among his followers of a strong sense of closeness that was heightened by their experiences of persecution as a fledgling community in Mecca. It was only through a deep devotion to the teachings of the Qur’anic revelation and the evident socioeconomic substance of Islamic religious activities that this bond of faith could be strengthened.

The religion of Islam developed its distinctive ethos during this early period, as a religion that encompassed both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life, and that sought to regulate not only the individual’s relationship with God (through conscience), but also human relationships in a social setting.

Select Muslim intellectuals did not differentiate between the religious (private) and the secular (public) until the twentieth century, and only in some countries, such as Turkey, was the distinction formalized.

This dual religious and social character of Islam, which manifests itself in one way as a religious community commissioned by God to bring its own value system to the world through theji After the Prophet’s death in 632ce, they had placed a huge portion of the world under the control of a new ArabMuslim empire, stretching from Spain to Central Asia and India.

  • Islam’s fundamental equality within the community of the faithful, as well as its explicit discrimination against adherents of other religions, attracted a large number of recruits quickly.
  • They were, however, obligated to pay a per capita tax known as jizyah, as contrast to pagans, who were forced to either adopt Islam or die as a result of their refusal.
  • During the period after the 12th century, the Sufis (Muslim mystics) were largely responsible for the spread of Islam in India, Central Asia, Turkey, and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as other parts of the world (see below).
  • Islam was brought to Indonesia in the 14th century, but it had little time to establish a political foothold in the country before the region fell under the control of the Dutch.
  • All elements of Muslim society, on the other hand, are united by a shared religious belief and a sense of belonging to a single community of believers.

In the mid-20th century, the religion of Islam aided many Muslim peoples across their quest for political independence, and the oneness of Islam led to subsequent political solidarity in the world.

Sources of Islamic doctrinal and social views

In Islamic theology, law, and thinking in general, four sources, or essential principles (ul), are relied upon: (1) the Qur’an, (2) the Sunnah (or “Traditions”), (3) the Ijma (or “consensus”), and (4) the Ijtihd (or “individual thought”). Known as the Qur’an (literally, “reading” or “recitation”), it is said to be the verbatimword, or speech, of God, as given to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel. It is the most important source of Islamic doctrine since it is divided into 114 suras (chapters) of varying length.

  • The suras revealed at Medina at a later stage in the Prophet’s life are primarily concerned with social law and the political-moral principles that should guide the formation and organization of the community.
  • Photograph by Orhan Am/Fotolia Pre-Islamic Arabs used the term sunnah (which means “a well-trodden road”) to refer to their tribe or common law systems.
  • Six of these compilations, which were collected in the 3rd centuryah (9th centuryce), came to be considered as particularly authoritative by the Sunnis, who constitute the majority of Islam’s population.
  • To unify legal theory and practice, as well as to remove individual and regional variations of opinion, the doctrine ofijm, also known as orconsensus, was established in the 2nd centuryah (eighth centuryce).
  • The concept of Ahijm has existed since the 3rd century and has come to represent a principle of stability in thought; topics on which consensus had been established in practice were deemed closed, and any further meaningful questioning of them was forbidden.

Finding the legal or doctrinal answer to a new situation necessitated the use of the word ijtihd, which means “to endeavor” or “to exert effort.” During the early period of Islamic history, becauseijtihd took the form of individual opinion (ray), there was an abundance of contradictory and chaotic viewpoints to choose from.

While the “gate ofijtihd” in Sunni Islam was effectively closed by the turning of Ijm into a conservative mechanism and the adoption of a final collection of Hadith, the “gate ofijtihd” remained open in Shi’ism.

The Qur’an and Hadith are studied in further detail below. It will be addressed below in the frameworks of Islamictheology, philosophy, and law what the importance of Ijm and Ijtih is.


Islam:7th century
In the 7th century Arabia becomes the cradle of the world’s third great monotheistic religion. All three have begun within a small area of southwest Asia. FirstJudaism, somewhere in the region stretching up from the Red Sea to Palestine; thenChristianityat the northern end of this area; and finally Islam to the south, in Mecca, close to the Red Sea.Each of the later arrivals in this close family of religions claims to build upon the message of its predecessors, bringing a better and more up-to-date version of the truth about the one God – in this case as revealed to the Messenger of God, Muhammad. Islam means ‘surrender’ (to God), and from the same root anyone who follows Islam is a Muslim.
It is on Mount Hira, according to tradition, that the archangel Gabriel appears to Muhammad. He describes later how he seemed to be grasped by the throat by a luminous being, who commanded him to repeat the words of God. On other occasions Muhammad often has similar experiences (though there are barren times, and periods of self doubt, when he is sustained only by his wifeKhadija ‘s unswerving faith in him).From about 613 Muhammad preaches inMeccathe message which he has received.
Muhammad’s message is essentially the existence of one God, all-powerful but also merciful, and he freely acknowledges that other prophets – in particular Abraham, Moses and Jesus – have preached the same truth in the past.But monotheism is not a popular creed with those whose livelihood depends on idols. Muhammad, once he begins to win converts to the new creed, makes enemies among the traders of Mecca. In 622 there is a plot to assassinate him. He escapes to the town of Yathrib, about 300 kilometres to the north.
Muhammad and the Muslim era:from622
The people of Yathrib, a prosperous oasis, welcome Muhammad and his followers. As a result, the move from Mecca in 622 comes to seem the beginning of Islam.The Muslim era dates from the Hegira – Arabic for’emigration’, meaning Muhammad’s departure from Mecca. In the Muslimcalendarthis event marks the beginning of year 1.
Yathrib is renamed Madinat al Nabi, the ‘city of the prophet’, and thus becomes known as Medina. Here Muhammad steadily acquires a stronger following. He is now essentially a religious, political and even military leader rather than a merchant (Khadijahas died in 619).He continues to preach and recite the words which God reveals to him. It is these passages, together with the earlier revelations at Mecca, which are written down in theArabic scriptby his followers and are collected to become the Qur’an – a word (often transliterated as Koran) with its roots in the idea of ‘recital’, reflecting the oral origin of the text. The final and definitive text of the Qur’an is established under the third caliph, Othman, in about 650.
The Muslims and Mecca: 624-630
Relations with Mecca deteriorate to the point of pitched battles between the two sides, with Muhammad leading his troops in the field. But in the end it is his diplomacy which wins the day.He persuades the Meccans to allow his followers back into the city, in 629, to make a pilgrimage to the Ka’ba and the Black Stone.
On this first Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Muhammad’s followers impress the local citizens both by their show of strength and by their self-control, departing peacefully after the agreed three days. But the following year the Meccans break a truce, provoking the Muslims to march on the city.They take Mecca almost without resistance. The inhabitants accept Islam. And Muhammad sweeps the idols out of theKa’ba, leaving only the sacred Black Stone.
An important element in Mecca’s peaceful acceptance of the change has been Muhammad’s promise that pilgrimage to the Ka’ba will remain a central feature of the new religion.So Mecca becomes, as it has remained ever since, the holy city of Islam. But Medina is by now where Muhammad and his most trusted followers live. And for the next few decades Medina will be the political centre of the developing Muslim state.
Muhammad lives only two years after the peaceful reconciliation with Mecca. He has no son. His only surviving children are daughters by Khadija, though since her death he has married several younger women, among whom his favourite is A’isha.
Muhammad and the caliphate:from632-656
There is no clear successor to Muhammad among his followers. The likely candidates include Abu Bakr (the father of Muhammad’s wifeA’isha) andAli(a cousin of Muhammad and the husband of Muhammad’s daughter Fatima). Abu Bakr is elected, and takes the title ‘khalifat rasul-Allah’.The Arabic phrase means ‘successor of the Messenger of God’. It will introduce a new word, caliph, to the other languages of the world.
Abu Bakr, the first caliph, lives no more than two years after the death of Muhammad. Even so, within this brief time Muslim armies have begun their astonishing expansion, subduing the whole of Arabia and striking as far north as Palestine.Abu Bakr is succeeded in 634 by Omar (another father-in-law of Muhammad), who in 638 capturesJerusalem. Six years later Omar is stabbed and killed in the mosque at Medina – for personal reasons, it seems, by a Persian craftsman living in Kufa.
Othman, chosen as the third caliph, is a son-in-law of Muhammad. By the end of his reign, in 656, Arabs have conquered as far afield as north Africa, Turkey and Afghanistan.Othman, like his predecessor, is assassinated -but this time by rebellious Muslims. They chooseali, another son-in-law of Muhammad, as the fourth caliph. For the first time within the Muslim community the selected caliph is the choice of just one faction. Ali’s caliphate eventually provokes the only major sectarian split in the history of Islam, betweenSunni and Shi’a(seeThe Shi’as).
Ali: 656-661
Raised to the position of caliph by rebels, Ali spends most of his reign in conflict with other Muslims. He wins the first battle, near Basra in 656, against an army fighting in support of Muhammad’s widow,A’isha. She is herself in the fray, riding a camel, with the result that the event is remembered as the ‘battle of the camel’.But it is Ali’s last success. The governor of Syria, Mu’awiya, wages a prolonged campaign against him to avenge the murder of the caliphOthman, his kinsman. Other opponents succeed in assassinating Ali, in 661, outside the mosque in Kufa – a Muslim garrison town to which he has moved the capital fromMedina.
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Islam: Basic Beliefs

Islam is a monotheistic religion that is based on the belief in a single God (Allah). According to this view, it has certain beliefs in common with those of Judaism and Christianity in that it traces its origins back to the patriarch Abraham, and ultimately to the first prophet Adam. Throughout history, prophets have taught the same universal message of faith in a single God and charity toward one another. According to Muslims, Muhammad was the final prophet in the lineage of prophets that began with Adam and ended with Moses.

  • He began his career as a shepherd before moving on to become a trader.
  • The people were worshipping a plethora of gods and had lost sight of the prophet Abraham’s warning that they should only serve one God.
  • It was during one of these occurrences, in the year 610 CE, when he was around 40 years old, that he got a revelation from God through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).
  • In his fundamental message, he emphasized that there was only one God, Allah, and that people should spend their life in a way that was agreeable to Allah, rather than gratifying themselves.
  • Muslims constitute 1.2 billion people worldwide, with 7 million living in the United States.
  • Indonesia and India have the greatest Muslim populations of any of the countries in the world.
  • Despite the fact that they hold similar fundamental principles, they disagree on who should be the legitimate head of Islam following Muhammad’s death.
  • “Allah” is just the Arabic word for God, and it means “God.” He is the same God who is adored by people of all religions and who is the same global God.
  • Furthermore, “Allah” does not have a plural form.
  • Religions based on belief in one God (Allah)
  • Belief in angels
  • Belief in the holy books revealed to all prophets, including the Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, the Bible that was revealed to the prophet Jesus, and the Qur’an (Koran) that was revealed to the prophet Muhammad
  • Belief in all of God’s prophets sent to mankind, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Although Muslims believe in Isa or Jesus, they do not see Jesus as the Son of God in the same sense that Christians do. Muslims also believe in the Day of Judgment and life after death, but Christians do not. The highest reward for doing good things is growing in one’s relationship with God
  • Faith in the decree of God. Therefore, God is all-powerful and nothing can happen without His permission
  • But, he has granted human people the ability to choose whether they will be good or evil. At the conclusion of this life, everyone will be interrogated about their actions and decisions.

These are practical guidelines for putting Muslim principles into practice on a daily basis, including:

  • They serve as regular reminders of how to put Muslim ideas into action in everyday situations:
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Muslims believe that the Qur’an, also known as the Koran, is the final revealed scripture provided by God. It is the discourse of God that was revealed to Muhammad in the Arabic language throughout his twenty-three-year journey on the earth. During Muhammad’s lifetime, the Qur’an was written down by scribes and memorized by his followers. The Qur’an places a strong emphasis on moral, ethical, and spiritual qualities, with the goal of ensuring justice for all people. The Koran’s native language, Arabic, is studied by many Muslims who wish to learn to read it.

Every day, they read a portion of it. According to Islam, the Sunnah is a written record of Muhammad’s words and actions. The Sunnah is utilized to assist in the interpretation of the Koran. It also contains guidance on matters like as belief, worship, and behavior.

Muhammad and the Faith of Islam []

University of Southern California’s Muslim Students Association provided the image. In this passage from the Qur’an, which was originally written in Arabic, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” is translated. According to the Qur’an (48:29), A religious vision was revealed to a guy who was meditating alone in a cave near Mecca. This vision set the groundwork for the establishment of a new religion. Muhammad was born in the year 610, and he was a man of many names. Islamic thought evolved from Muhammad’s thoughts, and the belief system that resulted from these concepts is now the foundation for Islam, which is one of the most commonly practiced religions in the world.

  • Both of Muhammad’s parents died when he was six years old, and he was raised by his grandpa and uncle after that.
  • A Bedouin family welcomed him into their home throughout his boyhood, as per the customs of rich families.
  • Muhammad’s encounters with these persons are highly likely to have had a significant impact on the formation of Islamic thought.
  • Over the following 20 years, he rose from obscurity to become a wealthy and well-respected trader who traveled across the Arab world.
  • By the time he was 40 years old, he began receiving religious visions that would forever alter the course of his life.

A Revelation of Faith

Muhammad received a revelation while meditating in a cave on the mountain of Hira. Eventually, Muhammad came to think that he had been chosen by God to serve as a prophet and teacher of a new religion, Islam, which literally translates as “submission.” The elements of Judaism and Christianity were merged into this new religion. Religions’ sacred texts, as well as their famous prophets and leaders – Abraham, Moses and Jesus, among others — were held in high regard. Muhammad addressed Abraham as “Khalil,” which means “God’s companion,” and designated him as the ancient patriarch of Islam.

Muhammad thought that he was God’s ultimate prophet and that he himself was the final prophet.

  • There is just one worldwide God, and his name is Allah. Muslims are obliged to pray five times a day with their backs to Mecca, according to Islamic tradition. All Muslims are required to pay an annual tax, which is mostly used to assist the poor and needy. Muslims are prohibited from eating, smoking, drinking, or engaging in sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset during the whole month of Ramadan. All capable Muslims are required to do the Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) at least once in their lives.

The Kaaba

Only one God exists in the universe: Allah. Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day with their backs to Mecca, as dictated by Islamic tradition. Each year, all Muslims are required to pay a tax, the majority of which is used to assist the poor and needy. Muslims are not permitted to eat, smoke, drink, or engage in sexual intercourse between the hours of sunrise and sunset throughout the whole month of Ramadan. The Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) is a religious obligation that every capable Muslim must fulfill at least once in their lives.

From Mecca to Medina and Back

Muhammad escaped to the town of Medina in 622 because he was afraid for his life. The Hegira, which is Arabic for “flight,” was the name given to this voyage from Mecca to Medina. This year marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. When Muhammad and his entourage arrived in Medina, the locals greeted them warmly. Muhammad established the first mosque, also known as the Islamic temple, at Mecca and began the process of separating Islam from the religions of Judaism and Christianity, which had first inspired him.

Allah’s revelations to Muhammad lasted throughout his life.

During his time in Mecca, Muhammad was involved in a number of fights with the locals.

Before his death two years later, he had forced the conversion of the majority of the Arabian Peninsula to his new faith and established a tiny kingdom on the peninsula’s southern tip.


Many Islamic sects have a belief in jihad, which is a common thread running through them. Despite the fact that the actual meaning of the Arabic word is difficult to convey in English, the word jihad is most appropriately translated as “fight.” For the vast majority of Muslims, jihad is a personal battle against evil. The sacred wars of this spiritual conflict are fought within the minds and hearts of Muslims. Sometimes the fight takes the shape of a physical battle against those who do not believe in God.

  1. A small but vocal minority of Muslims, on the other hand, places a high value on holy war jihads.
  2. It is this idea of jihad that serves as an inspiration for Islamic extremist terrorist activity.
  3. It should be emphasized that mainstream Islam is a peaceful religion that opposes the concept of unjustified violence.
  4. The unfortunate thing is that Muhammad had not named a successor.

Despite these difficulties, a huge Islamic empire was established over the course of the following 12 centuries, resulting in a worshiper base that was unsurpassed by any other religion.

The origins of Islam

What is the size of Islam? The Koran is the most memorized book on the planet, and Islam is the second most popular religion in the world. In terms of numbers, Muslims account for one-sixth of the human race (or around 1 billion people), and they are the majority in 36 nations, ranging from Indonesian islands to African plains. They may be divided into two groups: the Shias, who are mostly located in Iran and Iraq, and the Sunnis, who account for 90 percent of the Muslim world’s population. What do Muslims hold as their beliefs?

Muslim scholars believe that the Koran contains God’s words, which were written down and preserved by the prophet Muhammad.

Islam has several characteristics with the other monotheistic religions, including Judaism and Christianity.

The Koran also includes the tale of Christ’s birth to the Virgin Mary, according to certain scholars.

The prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born in the year 570 A.D.

Muhammad’s parents died while he was a child, and he was reared by his uncle Abu Talib, who educated him as a trader throughout his life.

He was also spiritually inclined, having studied a great deal about many religions during his travels.

His visit with the archangel Gabriel took place there, at the age of 42, and he was informed that he was to be the ultimate prophet of Allah, the one true God.

She became the world’s first Muslim convert.

How did Islam come to be recognized as a legitimate religion?

The Koran was composed of the 114 surahs (or chapters) that were produced as a consequence of this process.

During his time in Mecca, he was vilified by the governing Quraish tribes, who assaulted his followers and offered him rewards in exchange for abandoning his beliefs.

Muhammad marched into Mecca with an army of 10,000 Muslims in 622 A.D.

The city was taken over, and it quickly rose to become the spiritual center of the Islamic world.

He died two months later, at the age of 62, and was survived by his wife.


‘The real Muslim,’ the prophet declared, “is the one who does no harm to anybody, whether by speech or deed.” War is only tolerated in self-defense, and warriors are advised to engage in face-to-face battle and avoid injuring or killing civilians.

In addition, Islam has a long and illustrious military history.

As conquerors, they were significantly more tolerant of religious minorities than any Christian monarch had ever been in the history of mankind.

What is it about Islam that gives it such a bad image for intolerance?

It was by the end of the ninth century that the behavioral guidelines put down in the Koran had been codified in legal texts known as the Shariah, and these guidelines have remained mostly unchanged ever since.

The emergence of Wahhabi puritanism has made it nearly hard for certain academics to rewrite the Koran in a more modern perspective.

What exactly is jihad?

However, following the establishment of the Muslim kingdom, the notion of jihad took on a greater spiritual significance, and it was transformed into an inward moral fight against temptation.

Fundamentalists within Islam The Wahhabi sect was created in the 18th century by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who taught a strict style of puritan Islam that was considered extremist at the time.

Mosques were stripped of their decorations, and tombstones were thrown to the ground (on the grounds that they inspired idolatry).

Saudi sheiks then launched a brutal religious and territorial war against their Muslim neighbors for more than a century, until the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, when the country became independent. Wahhabism continues to be the official religion of the country.

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