Islam is the second largest religion in the world. It was established in the 7th century by the prophet Muhammad. The Koran (or Qu'ran) is the sacred word of God in Islam. Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion related to Judaism and Christianity.
Basic Background
The teachings of Islam are the result of the writings of Muhammad, considered by Muslims to be the last and greatest prophet. Muslims consider Jesus, Moses, Noah, Abraham, and Adam to be prophets preceding Muhammad, but the teachings of Muhammad, as revealed by Allah in the Koran are considered to be paramount. Muslims consider the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, to be the holiest city in Islam, with it being the sacred duty of every Muslim to make a pilgrimage to the city at least once in their lives. After the death of Muhammad in 632, disagreements over the successor to the prophet resulted in the division of Islam into groups which are today reflected in the division of the faith into Sunni Islam and Shia Islam.
