Islam

Islam is over 1300 years old and is one of the three largest religions in the world.

Muslims believe that Islam is a faith that always existed, but it was only completely revealed entirely to humans when the Prophet Muhammad brought it to light in the seventh century.

Muslims believe that only one God exists and this God is called Allah. The word Islam literally means ”surrender to God.”

The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and he spent much of his life meditating on Mount Hira. Muslims believe that Muhammad was visited by the angel Jibreel who mentioned the name Allah to him after which Muhammad is said to have begun to recite the words of God. Muhammad remembered these words and wrote them down. These words came to form the Muslim scripture, which is called the Holy Qur’an.

Muslims worship in mosques and when they pray they are required to face in the direction of Mecca.

Devout Muslims are required to pray five times a day and follow the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars

Salat – reciting prayers properly five times a day

Shahadah – honestly reciting the Muslim profession of faith

Sawm – fasting during Ramadan

Zakat – giving to the poor

Hajj – making a pilgrimage to Mecca

Muslims believe that religion is to come first in life because they believe that a Day of Judgment will come when it will be decided whether each human goes to heaven or to hell.

There are two types of Muslims the Shiites and the Sunnis. More than 80 percent of the world’s Muslims are Sunnis.