Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today and currently there are 2.2 billion followers of this religion. Founded in 622 CE in Mecca, Arabia (Arabian Peninsula), it is the second largest religion in the world. The word Islam means “submission to the will of God” and Muslim means “one who submits”. Islam is a monotheistic religion in which Allah is worshipped. Allah is viewed as the sole God in this religion and is seen as the creator, sustainer and restorer of the world. Muslims believe that God sent many prophets to mankind in order to teach them how to live. Jesus, Abraham, Adam, Noah and Moses are considered to be prophets and Muhammad is considered to be the final prophet. Muhammad was born in Mecca and when he was …show more content…
These 5 pillars are very important to the religion because it is their everyday life and demonstrated that Muslims are putting their faith first by following these pillars. All aspects of Islam are to be oriented to serving Allah. Muslims believe in an afterlife in which there is a paradise and Hell. They also believe in a day of judgment when God will resurrect all people for their beliefs and deeds. Islam influence first grew in the Arabian Peninsula and then grew in parts of Africa. It then spread to Asia, Europe and the Americas. The place of worship for Muslims is called a Mosque and the clergy is called an Imam. The religious day of worship is Friday and services are held at Mosques on these days. Muslims gather at Mosques to worship Allah, pray and study religious texts. There are two divisions of Islam – Sunni and Shi’a – and each have different ways of maintain religious authority. Sacred places of Islam are Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The most sacred place for Muslims is the Ka’bah sanctuary at Mecca and this is where all Muslims make their Hajj pilgrimage. There are several religious days in Islam including Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Hajj, Eid al-Adha. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and during this month,