ISLAM
Founded:
About 1,400 years ago in Arabia.
Founder:
Prophet Mohammed (early 7th century). Many Muslims believe that Prophet Mohammed is not the "founder" of Islam but he received the divine revelations recorded in the Koran during his life (570‑632 AD).
They regard that their religion is the restoration of the original religion of Abraham (Judaism) through Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century. They would also stress that Islam is a timeless religion, not just because of the eternal truth that it proclaims but also because it is every person's religion, the natural religion in which every person is born.
Major Scriptures:
The Koran is the God's Speech. It is the sacred book of Islam explained as the religion of Abraham. In the Koran, Abraham is the patriarch who turned away from idolatry, who came to his Lord with an undivided heart, who responded to God in total obedience when challenged to sacrifice his son, and who served God uncompromisingly.
Sects:
There are two main divisions within Islam. The Sunnis are followers of the political successors of Mohammed. The Shites are followers of Mohammed's family successors all martyred at an early age.
Adherents:
About 950 million mostly in Middle East, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Africa, China, Indonesia, Central Asia, and India.
Synopses:
Islam means submission, surrender to the Will of God, called Allah. Those who submit are called Moslems.
The Koran records that Mohammed was the Seal of the Prophets, the last of a line of God's messengers that began with Adam (first man created by God) and included Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus. Mohammed left for the future guidance of the community the word of God revealed to him and recorded in the Koran, and the Sunna, the collective name for his opinions and decisions as recorded in the tradition literature (Hadith).
Islam recognizes God's sending of messengers to all peoples and his granting of "Scripture and Prophethood" to Abraham and his descendants which results in the awareness of a very special link between Muslims, Jews, and Christians as all Abraham's children. The Koran mentions, among others, Abraham and his sons, Solomon and the queen of Sheba, and the disciples of Jesus. Also the Muslims recognize earlier Scriptures, namely, the Taurat (Torah) given to Moses, the Zabur (Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Gospel) of Jesus.
Islamic doctrines are commonly discussed and taught widely under six headings:
* God: the sole creator, the One and Only
* Angels: servants of God, play important role in daily life of Muslims.
* Scriptures: God's speech
* Messengers: God's message revealed through His Messengers
* The Last Day: every soul will stand alone and will have to account for its deeds
* Predestination: the divine initiative is all‑decisive in bringing humans to faith ("had God not guided us, we had surely never been guided," 7:43),
When applied to Islam, the word religion has a far more comprehensive meaning than it commonly has in the West. Islam encompasses personal faith and piety, the creed and worship of the community of believers, a way of life, a code of ethics, a culture, a system of laws, an understanding of the function of the state, in short, guidelines and rules for life in all its aspects and dimensions.
Islam teaches absolute monotheism and Mohammed's primacy as the last Prophet. Stress is on the brotherhood of believers, non‑difference of religious and secular life, obedience to God's Law, abstinence from alcohol, good conduct, and the limitation of all except Allah. Today Islam is the world's fastest growing religion.
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