Islam  

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Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God (Allah) and that Muhammad is the last messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world, with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1% of the global population, known as Muslims. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, unique, and has guided mankind through prophets, revealed scriptures and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative example (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. Like other Abrahamic religions, Islam also teaches a final judgment with the righteous rewarded paradise and unrighteous are punished in hell. Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam, which are obligatory acts of worship, and following Islamic law, 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.

Apart from the Muslim viewpoint, Islam is believed to have originated in the early 7th century CE in Mecca, and by the 8th century the Islamic empire 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 when much of the historically Islamic world was experiencing a scientific, economic and cultural flourishing. The expansion of the Muslim world involved various caliphates and empires, traders and conversion to Islam by missionary activities.

Most Muslims are of one of two denominations: Sunni (75–90%) or Shia (10–20%). About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country, 31% in South Asia, the largest population of Muslims in the world, 23% in the Middle East-North Africa, where it is the dominant religion, and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sizable Muslim communities are also found in the Americas, Caucasus, China, Europe, Mainland Southeast Asia, Philippines and Russia. Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world.

Criticism

• Apostasy in Islam
• Islamic State
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
• Fitna
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of speech versus blasphemy
• Ibrahim Al-Buleihi
• Internet Infidels
• Islam and modernity
• Islam and violence
• Islam and domestic violence
• Islamic feminism
• Innocence of Muslims
• Islam: What the West Needs to Know
• Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
• The Satanic Verses controversy
• Submission, 2004 film
• Submission, a novel
• Sudanese teddy bear blasphemy case
• Trial of Geert Wilders

See also

• Ismailism
• Hassan-i Sabbah
• "Charlemagne, without Mohammet, would be inconceivable"
• Islamic literature
• Islamic terrorism
• Islamic golden age
• Islamic mythology
• Islamic studies
• Major religious groups
• Muslim world
• Religious conversion#Islam
• Liberal movements within Islam
• Islam and violence
• Gender segregation and Muslims
• Gender apartheid
• Women in Arab societies