Introduction to Islam.

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Introduction to Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion. There is no God but the one God, and Muhammad is his prophet. Islam rejects the doctrine of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be one of the great prophets. Allah differs from the Jewish and Christian concept of God because Mohammed is morally capricious; he declares what is good or evil, and his declaration makes it true. The Muslim has no assurance of what it takes to please Allah and be welcomed into eternal paradise. The word Islam means submission to God, and Muslim means one who submits.

History

Islam rose to prominence around the seventh century around Mecca and Medina in the Arabian peninsula. Muhammad the Prophet was born in 570 A.D. In the city of Mecca. At the age of 25 he married his first wife, and his revelations began in 610 A.D. At the age of forty Muhammad received a vision while at a cave on Mount Hira.

This was three miles from Mecca. During this time, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision. This vision over a period of time became known as the sacred scripture, the Qur'an. From 610 to 622 A.D., Muhammad lived in Mecca and continued to received communications from Gabriel. In the year 619 it is said that Muhammad was taken by the angel Gabriel. To Jerusalem where he met Abraham, Moses and Jesus and led them in prayer. After that encounter Muhammad led the Muslim armies to take over the Arabian peninsula until his death in 632.

After the death of Muhammad the Muslims named their leaders Caliphs. Caliph means the deputy messenger of Allah. Between 632 to 750 A.D., the Muslims had conquered of the known world. They controlled North Africa to India and western China. They...