Islam

Islam listen ( al-islām ) "the submission to God " is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions , and the world's second largest religion .

Arabic text The Kaaba , in Mecca Saudi Arabia , is the center of Islam. Muslims from all over the world gather there to pray in unity . Islam ( al-’islām , ) is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an , a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of the one, incomparable God ( , Allāh ), and by the Prophet of Islam , Muhammad 's teachings and normative example (in Arabic called the Sunnah , demonstrated in collections of Hadith ). Islam literally means " submission (to God )." Muslim , the word for an adherent of Islam, is the active participle of the same verb of which Islām is the infinitive (see Islam (term) ). Muslims regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a primordial, monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before, including, notably, to the prophets Abraham , Moses and Jesus . Islamic tradition holds that previous messages and revelations have been changed and distorted over time. Religious practices include the Five Pillars of Islam , which are five obligatory acts of worship. Islamic law ( Arabic : شريعة Šarīʿah ) touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from banking and warfare to welfare and the environment . The majority of Muslims belong to one of two denominations , the Sunni (87–90%) and the Shi'a (10–13%). Islam is the predominant religion in the Middle East , North Africa , and large parts of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable communities are also found in China and Russia , and parts of the Caribbean . About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia , the largest Muslim country, 31% in the Indian Subcontinent , and 20% in Arab countries . Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world. With approximately 1.5 billion Muslims (see Islam by country ), Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and arguably the fastest growing religion in the world . There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online . : |access-date= requires |url= ( help ) ; Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored ( |author= suggested) ( help ) * Hava Lazarus-Yafeh. It is a unique religion based on its own holy book, but it is also a direct descendant of Judaism and Christianity, incorporating some of the teachings of those religions—modifying some and rejecting others." Understanding Islam by Susan Headden of U.S.

Arabic text The Kaaba , in Mecca , Hejaz region, today's Saudi Arabia , is the center of Islam . Muslims from all over the world gather there to pray in unity. Islam ( / ˈ ɪ s l ɑː m / ; , al-ʾIslām ) is a monotheistic , Abrahamic religion articulated by the Qur'an , a religious text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God ( Allāh ), and, for the vast majority of adherents, by the teachings and normative example (called the sunnah , composed of accounts called hadith ) of Muhammad ( c. 570–8 June 632 CE), considered by most of them to be the last prophet of God . An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim (sometimes spelled "Moslem"). Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable and that the purpose of existence is to worship God. Muslims also believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam , Noah , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . They maintain that the previous messages and revelations have been partially misinterpreted or altered over time, but consider the Arabic Qur'an to be both the unaltered and the final revelation of God. Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam , which are basic concepts and obligatory acts of worship, and following Islamic law , which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, providing guidance on multifarious topics from banking and welfare , to family life and the environment . Most Muslims are of two denominations : Sunni (75–90%) or Shia (10–20%). About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia , the largest Muslim-majority country, 25% in South Asia , 20% in the Middle East , and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable Muslim communities are also found in Europe , China , Russia , and the Americas . Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world. With about 1.62 billion followers or 23% of the global population, Islam is the second-largest religion by number of adherents and, according to many sources, the fastest-growing major religion in the world . Islam: Empire of Faith . Islam: Empire of Faith . Encyclopaedia of Islam Online . : Invalid |ref=harv ( help ) ; Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored ( |author= suggested) ( help ) * Hava Lazarus-Yafeh. The Future of the Global Muslim Population . PBS - Islam: Empire of Faith - Faith - Islam Today . "The world's fastest-growing religion is ..." CNN .

Abrahamic monotheistic religion Islam ( / ˈ ɪ s l ɑː m / ; , "submission [to God]") is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion that teaches that there is only one God ( Allah ), and that Muhammad is a messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1% of the world's population, known as Muslims . Muslims make up a majority of the population in 49 countries . Islam teaches that God is merciful , all-powerful , and unique, and has guided mankind through prophets , revealed scriptures , and natural signs . The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran , believed to be the verbatim word of God, as well as the teachings and normative examples (called the sunnah , composed of accounts called hadith ) of Muhammad ( c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE ). Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets, including Adam , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . Muslims consider the Quran in Arabic to be the unaltered and final revelation of God. Like other Abrahamic religions , Islam also teaches a final judgment with the righteous rewarded in paradise and the unrighteous punished in hell . Religious concepts and practices include the Five Pillars of Islam , which are obligatory acts of worship, as well as following Islamic law ( sharia ), which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, from banking and welfare to women and the environment . The cities of Mecca , Medina and Jerusalem are home to the three holiest sites in Islam . From a historical point of view, Islam originated in the early 7th century CE Arabian peninsula , in Mecca, and by the 8th century the Umayyad Caliphate extended from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east. The Islamic Golden Age refers to the period traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century, during the Abbasid Caliphate , when much of the historically Muslim world was experiencing a scientific , economic , and cultural flourishing. The expansion of the Muslim world involved various caliphates and states such as the Ottoman Empire , trade, and conversion to Islam by missionary activities ( dawah ). Most Muslims are of one of two denominations : Sunni (75–90%) or Shia (10–20%). Sunni and Shia differences arose from a disagreement over the succession to Muhammad and acquired broader political significance, as well as theological and juridical dimensions. About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia , the most populous Muslim-majority country; 31% live in South Asia , the largest population of Muslims in the world; 20% in the Middle East–North Africa , where it is the dominant religion; and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa . Muslims are overwhelming majority in Central Asia , and also widespread in the Caucasus . India has the largest number of Muslim adherents outside of Muslim-majority countries . Sizable Muslim communities are found in the Americas , China , Europe , and North Asia . Islam is the fastest-growing major religion in the world . There are <ref group=upper-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). Islam: The Religion and The People . "Islam." In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World , edited by J. (See also: quick reference .) "Profession of Faith…affirms Islam's absolute monotheism and acceptance of Muḥammad as the messenger of God, the last and final prophet." Peters, F. "Allāh." In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World , edited by J. (See also: quick reference .) "[T]he Muslims' understanding of Allāh is based…on the Qurʿān's public witness. Allāh is Unique, the Creator, Sovereign, and Judge of mankind. It is Allāh who directs the universe through his direct action on nature and who has guided human history through his prophets, Abraham, with whom he made his covenant, Moses, Jesus, and Muḥammad, through all of whom he founded his chosen communities, the 'Peoples of the Book.'" Lipka, Michael, and Conrad Hackett. " Why Muslims are the world’s fastest-growing religious group " (data analysis). The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life . The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010 ." DC: Pew Research Center. "Environment." In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Science, and Technology in Islam , edited by I. The early verses of the Qurʾān, therefore, reveal an invitation to examine and investigate the heavens and the earth, and everything that can be seen in the environment.… The Qurʾān thus makes it clear that everything in Creation is a miraculous sign of God (āyah), inviting human beings to contemplate the Creator." Goldman, Elizabeth. 1995. Believers: Spiritual Leaders of the World . Bible and Qurʼān: Essays in scriptural intertextuality . " Eschatology ." In The Oxford Dictionary of Islam . (See also " sharia " via Lexico .) Trofimov, Yaroslav . 2008. The Siege of Mecca: The 1979 Uprising at Islam's Holiest Shrine . Islam and the Integration of Society . " Factors Behind the Decline of Islamic Science After the Sixteenth Century ." Pp. 351–99 in Islam and the Challenge of Modernity , edited by S. "Sunni Islam is the dominant division of the global Muslim community, and throughout history it has made up a substantial majority (85 to 90 percent) of that community." " Religions | Field Listing " and " Religions | Definitions and Notes ." The World Factbook Archive . "Shia Islam represents 10–20% of Muslims worldwide." "Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population." " Sunni " and " Shi'a ." Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs . A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Muslim Population ." Pew Research Center . In Philip Mattar (ed.). The Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa (Second ed.). " 10 Countries With the Largest Muslim Populations, 2010 and 2050 " (projections table). South Asian Religions: Tradition and Today . The Future of the Global Muslim Population ." Pew Research Center . It is based on its own holy book, but it is also a direct descendant of Judaism and Christianity, incorporating some of the teachings of those religions—modifying some and rejecting others."

Abrahamic monotheistic religion This article is about the religion. Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran , and the teachings of Muhammad . Adherents of Islam are called Muslims , who are estimated to number 2 billion worldwide and are the world's second-largest religious population after Christians . Surah al Fatiha ( The Opener ) , from the Quran . Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times through earlier prophets and messengers , including Adam , Noah , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . Muslims consider the Quran to be the verbatim word of God and the unaltered, final revelation. Alongside the Quran, Muslims also believe in previous revelations , such as the Tawrat (the Torah ), the Zabur ( Psalms ), and the Injil ( Gospel ). They believe that Muhammad is the main and final of God's prophets , through whom the religion was completed. The teachings and normative examples of Muhammad, called the Sunnah , documented in accounts called the hadith , provide a constitutional model for Muslims. Islam is based on the belief in the oneness and uniqueness of God ( tawhid ), and belief in an afterlife ( akhirah ) with the Last Judgment —wherein the righteous will be rewarded in paradise ( jannah ) and the unrighteous will be punished in hell ( jahannam ). The Five Pillars , considered obligatory acts of worship, are the Islamic oath and creed ( shahada ), daily prayers ( salah ), almsgiving ( zakat ), fasting ( sawm ) in the month of Ramadan , and a pilgrimage ( hajj ) to Mecca . Islamic law, sharia , touches on virtually every aspect of life, from banking and finance and welfare to men's and women's roles and the environment . The two main religious festivals are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha . The three holiest sites in Islam are Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Prophet's Mosque in Medina , and al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem . The religion of Islam originated in Mecca in 610 CE. Muslims believe this is when Muhammad received his first revelation . By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam . Muslim rule expanded outside Arabia under the Rashidun Caliphate and the subsequent Umayyad Caliphate ruled from the Iberian Peninsula to the Indus Valley . In the Islamic Golden Age , specifically during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphate , most of the Muslim world experienced a scientific , economic and cultural flourishing . The expansion of the Muslim world involved various states and caliphates as well as extensive trade and religious conversion as a result of Islamic missionary activities ( dawah ), as well as through conquests , imperialism , and colonialism . The two main Islamic branches are Sunni Islam (87–90%) and Shia Islam (10–13%). Ibadism is the third-largest branch whose roots go back to the Kharijite . While the Shia–Sunni divide initially arose from disagreements over the succession to Muhammad , they grew to cover a broader dimension, both theologically and juridically . The Sunni canonical hadith collection consists of six books , while the Shia canonical hadith collection consists of four books . Muslims make up a majority of the population in 53 countries. Approximately 12% of the world's Muslims live in Indonesia , the most populous Muslim-majority country; 31% live in South Asia ; 20% live in the Middle East–North Africa ; and 15% live in sub-Saharan Africa . Muslim communities are also present in the Americas , China , and Europe . Muslims are the world's fastest-growing major religious group, according to Pew Research . This is primarily due to a higher fertility rate and younger age structure compared to other major religions. "The saheeh Sunnah is wahy (Revelation) from Allah" . islamqa.info . The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World . Religious human rights in global perspective: religious perspectives . The Oxford Handbook of American Islam . Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon: With Travels in Armenia, Kurdistan and the Desert: Being the Result of a Second Expedition Undertaken for the Trustees of the British Museum . Muslims grew fastest; Christians lagged behind global population increase" . Pew Research Center . 9 June 2025 . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).