Islam is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the A.Isalm is an Arabic word that means submission or surrender. God is called Allah, which means "The God", and one who follows these teachings and beliefs is called a Muslim.
Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Many believe that he began to receive revelations from Allah that were sent through Gabriel. These revelations took place in Mecca and Medina in a 22-year period and are now recorded in the Muslim holy book, the Qur"an. The Qur"an and the Sunna, the example of words and practices of Muhammad, make up the foundation of Islamic law.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, following Christianity. Over 1.1 million people follow this religion. Today, Muslims live in every country in the world. .
The central concept of Islam is tawhid, the oneness of God. Muslims are much like Christians in that they believe in one god who is the lord of the universe. They believe that they owe worship and obedience to God since He is the creator of the universe and He knows all.
Every act performed in obedience to God is considered an act of worship in Islam. Most Muslims take care in their daily lives to respect their parents and elders, to be kind to animals and human beings, and to do their daily tasks to the best that they can. The formal acts of worship, called the Five Pillars, provide the framework for all aspects of Muslim life. The pillars consist of (1) Faith, (2) Prayer, (3) Charity, (4) Fasting, and (5) Pilgrimage.
Faith is the main pillar since it is the basis surrounding the religion. They must have faith in God, and only Him.
The pillar of prayer is important to most Muslims since they pray five times a day. They pray just before dawn, at midday, in mid-afternoon, just after sunset, and at night. Before they pray, they must wash their hands, their faces, parts of their arms and head and their feet in a ritual manner.
