Islam was founded in the year 610 C.E. by Muhammad ibn Abd Allah in the city of Mecca (in present day Saudi Arabia). The Arabic word ‘islam’ means "submission," and is itself derived from a word that means "to surrender or resign oneself." In Islam, the fundamental duty of each member is to submit to Allah. A person who follows Islam is a Muslim. The two major groups of Muslims are the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. Two important minority groups are the Sufis and the Wahhabis.
The primary texts of Islam are the Qur'an (Koran) and the Hadith. The Qur’an is said to be the source of Allah's revelations to humanity, transmitted through his messenger, Muhammad. There are 114 chapters called sura in the Qur’an. They are arranged roughly in order of length, with the longer ones first. Because they are not arranged in order by topic, date written, historical significance, or some other logical basis, the Qur’an can initially be confusing for some readers.
Muslims believe that there is but a single god, Allah, and that after death there will be a Last Day, a Resurrection, and Retribution. In the afterlife, wicked men, such as infidels, will suffer damnation. In Sura 9:72 (chapter:verse) of the Qur’an, Muslims are promised a paradise consisting of "gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions, in gardens of everlasting bliss." Sura 44:51-54 promises believers they will be rewarded in Paradise with houris (virgins) "with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes."
The Hadith is not considered a direct source of revelation; it contains records of the traditions, practices, and decisions of the very earliest Muslim community. As a collection of the sayings and deeds of Muhammad, it is used to supplement the Qur’an.
The Qur’an and the Hadith provide the basis for the Islamic beliefs and practices that are in turn contained in the Shari'a, the Sunna, and the "Five Pillars." The Shari’a is the religious law of Islam, covering every aspect of life. The Sunna consists of Muhammad’s traditions or way of life (words, habits, acts, and gestures), as remembered by Muslims and preserved in the literary form of the Hadith reports. The Five Pillars are the essential religious duties required of every adult Muslim who is mentally able. The Five Pillars are each described in some part of the Qur’an. They are: the profession of faith (shahada), requirement for prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), fasting (sawm), and pilgrimage (hajj).
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Muhammad
Muslims point out that Muhammad was a prophet, an agent of Allah. He himself declared that he was not divine and could
not perform miracles. Moreover, Muhammad said that he did not himself compose the 'revelations' of which he spoke; they were given to him by the angel Gabriel. He believed that he was one of a series of prophets who reported Allah's wishes to mankind. These prophets included Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic), Moses (Mussa), and Jesus (Issa), acknowledging the origins of Islam in Christianity and Judaism. However, Muslims believe Muhammad to be Allah's last prophet.
Muhammad is said to have been born in Mecca in the year 570 or 571 C.E. An orphan, he was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib, from the age of eight. He was poor, but, in time, he obtained employment in the service of a rich widow, named Khadija, who he married in 595 C.E. when he was twenty-four years old. She was thirty-nine. Muhammad maintained a strong affection for her until her death in 619 C.E. He later married many wives, but none of them appears to have exercised as much influence upon him as did Khadija.
Whatever his early life might have been like, tradition has it that as Muhammad grew older, he became distressed at the state of society around him and regularly retired to a cave outside of Mecca. He would sometimes spend days at a time there, contemplating life. In 610 C.E., during one of these retreats, tradition says that Muhammad experienced "the Call," a common event for religious reformers and revolutionaries. According to his own reports, he was in a dream or dream-like state when he received instruction from Allah (through the angel Gabriel) on what he must believe and what he must do in his life. Instructions from the angel became frequent occurrences throughout Muhammad’s life.
The first instruction was that there existed only one god and that strict monotheistic belief was required of all people. The second involved achieving justice for all on earth, and the third involved the existence of a final judgment for both the just and the unjust.
Muhammad was convinced that he had been called to be a prophet in the traditions of the Jews and of Jesus. He also convinced a small group of friends and relatives this was the case. This led to friction with his tribe, the Quraysh, who were based in Mecca and were keepers of the Ka’aba, a pagan shrine housing all the idols of significance to his tribe.
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