PLACE OF ORIGIN AND HOLIEST SITES

YEARS IT BEGAN

FOUNDER AND HOLY BOOK

MAIN BELIEFS

SYMBOLS AND OBJECTS

PLACES OF WORSHIP

SPIRITUAL LEADERS

POPULATION TODAY

Islam originated in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. There, the Prophet Muhammad received revelations from Allah and preached to his followers. Mecca, Jerusalem, and Medina are the holiest sites in Islam. Muhammad's followers spread his teachings throughout the Middle East and beyond.

The Prophet Muhammadwas born around 570 CE and began preaching in the early 600s. The Islamic calendar begins in 622 CE when the Prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated from Mecca to the coastal city of Medina to escape persecution, called the Hijrah or flight.They returned to Mecca to retake the city from theQuraysh tribe in 629 or 630, and Muhammad died in 632.

Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel in 610 CE and that Muhammad is the final prophet sent by Allah. The Qur'an is a record of the word of God that was revealed to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel.The sayings of the Prophet (hadith) and records of his actions (sunna) are also sacred and crucial texts. It is considered disrespectful to depict the Prophet Muhammad.

Muslims believe there is only one God and that the Prophet Muhammad was sent to be his final messenger. Like followers of Judaism and Christianity, their lineage comes from the prophet Abraham and Allah spoke through the prophets like Adam, Moses, and Jesus. There are five basic pillars essential to their faith: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj, and Six essential beliefs in the one God; the angels; the holy books; the prophets and Muhammad as the final prophet; the Day of Judgement; and Predestination.

Some symbols associated with Islam include the crescent moon and star and the color green, which is said to be the Prophet Muhammad's favorite color. Oil lamps and dates are often used during Ramadan and commonly found in a Muslim home. Prayer rugs are used 5 times a day during prayer.

A mosque(masjid) is a Muslim place of worship and ateaching and community space.When Muslims pray, they face Mecca, Saudi Arabia towards the sacred Kaaba. The Kaaba was built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael). It is located in the center of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, the Masjid al-Haram.Muslims gather to pray together on Fridays, which is considered the holiest day of the week.Mosques are also used for weddings, funerals, and Ramadan festivals.

An imam is a Muslim spiritual leader who leads Muslim worshippers in prayer and is the head of the Muslim community. Islamic clergy serve as exemplars, teachers, judges, and community leaders.

Islam is followed by about 2 billion people worldwide which represents about 25% of the world population. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims live throughout the world but are the majority of the population in the Middle East and Central Asia. They also live in Indonesia, North Africa, India, North and South America, Europe, and China. It is the world's second largest religion after Christianity.

FACTS ABOUT ISLAM