MAIN Society Religion Islam

To overcome evil with good is good, to resist evil by evil is evil. Muhammad

Islam (derived from "salam", in Arabic meaning peace or submission) is the world's second largest religion after Christianity.

Islam is partially based upon the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (alternate spellings Mohammed or Muhammed) recorded in the Hadith, and largely on the Quran (or Koran) which Muslims believe is the word of Allah ("the one true God") handed down to Muhammad.

The faith's origins can be traced to 7th century Arabia when Muhammad is generally believed to have established Islam in 622 in Mecca, where the angel Gabriel first appeared to him. Today, adherents of Islam, or Muslims, are found throughout the globe - particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia - and number more than 1 billion worldwide.

The central tenets of the faith are called The Five Pillars of Islam which consist of rules for day-to-day worship as well as charitable and devotional acts throughout one's lifetime.

These include, for example, reciting at least once daily the shahadah ("There is no God but God and Muhammad is his Prophet") and, if possible, to pray 5 times daily. This is usually performed while bowing toward Mecca during special times of the day, with prayers beginning at sunrise and ending with a nighttime devotional.

Annual rites include fasting during the whole of the month of Ramadan which Muslims believe to be the month that Muhammad first received the first revelation from Allah. Devote Muslims are also expected, if at all possible, to make at least one hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca during their lifetimes.

More about Islam around the Web:

Elsewhere on the Web, discover more about the world's youngest and fastest growing religion including a complete history of its origins, biographies and facts on the life of Muhammad, quotes or complete texts from the Koran, facts & images on Muslim-inspired art & architecture, as well as information on related customs, traditions, holidays & festivals ....

Islam - Complete overview of fundamental beliefs and practices, major denominations, discussion on comparative religions, related history & symbols, references, with external links to more on Islamic art & philosophy, from Wikipedia.

Islam.com - Major Web directory for information & links to the life of Muhammad, Islamic prayers & teachings, history, related literature, Islamic FAQ, holy day & Ramadan calendars, prayer times, discussion forum, Eid & Hajj e-cards, Islamic wallpapers.

Islam: Empire of Faith - Archived companion site to the PBS television special with a guide to Islamic faith & culture, interactive historical timeline, video presentation on Islamic architecture, and educational resources & lesson plans for teachers.