WEEK_ 2-3: Introduction to Islam

INTRODUCTION
Islam is an Abraham monotheist religion that tells us that Allah alone exists, and there
is an Allah Prophet Muhammad PBUH's Messenger (Al-Haqqani et al., 2002). Islam is the
second largest in the world with a population of 24.1%. In 49 nations, Muslims form much of
the population (Hackett & Grim, 2018). Islam teaches that God forgives, exalts and is
exceptional and guides mankind through Holly signs and prophets. Islam is mainly taught by
the Qur'an and Holly Prophet Muhammad PBUH.


Muslims claim that Islam is the entire universal version of ancient faith revealed by
the prophets of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, among them. Muslims accept God's
unchanged and final revelation of the Quran in its Arabic. Like other Abrahamic religions,
Islam is also teaching the righteous in Jannah and the unrighteous in Jahanam on final
judgment day. The Five Pillars of Islam, which are compulsory worship and observance of
Sharia law, basically cover all aspects of life and community, including banking and wealth
and women and the environment, are religious principles and practices. There are three holy
sites in Islam in the cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem (Trofimov, Y. 2008).
Beside the philosophical narrative, (Esposito, J. L. 1998) Islam is historically believed
to have begun in Mecca in the early 7th century CE, while the Umayyads spread from Iberia
in the west to the Indus River in the east by the 8th century. The Muslim Golden Age refers
to the era, when a large part of the truly Muslim world witnessed a philosophy, financial and
social prosperity during the Abbasid Caliphate. (Al-Hassan, A. Y., Ahmad, M., & Iskandar,
A. Z. 2001). The Muslim world has developed through different states and caliphates, for
example the Ottoman Empire, through apostolic exercises, exchanges and improvements
towards Islam.


The majority of the Muslims are Sunni (75%–90%) or Shia (10%-20%). Roughly
13% of Muslims live in the main Muslim country of Indonesia; 31% live in South Asia, the
largest population of the world's Muslims; 20% live in the pre-eminent region of Middle East
and North Africa, and 15% are live in the Sub-Saharan African countries. Muslims in Central
Asia are the majority and even in the Caucasus and South East Asia are predominant. India is
the most populated nation of Muslims outside Muslim majorities. In America, China, Europe
and Russia, there might also be a limited number of Muslim communities. Islam is the fastest
rising religion on the planet (Figure 1.1) (Burke, Daniel April 4, 2015).
 

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