Growth Of Islam Essay

1651 Words4 Pages

The Growth of the Islamic Religion

Kate Wetzel
Mrs. Mitchell
World History
Period 3
3-28-14
In Arabic, the word Islam represents,” submission to the will of god”. Muslims or followers of the Islamic religion believe in their one god, Allah or “Almighty God”. The Qur’an is their most important scripture; it contains messages sent from God to Muhammad (God’s messenger). The Islamic religion is a way of life for the Muslims and teaches them to be kind, respectful, and selfless. All Muslims are seen as equal before God and each other. About 23% of the world is Muslim, which shows that Islam is a widespread and accepted religion.

Origins of Islam

The city Muhammad was born into, Mecca is a dry-rocky valley on the western part of the Arabian Peninsula. The population of Mecca could not earn money from farming because it was located in a desert. Mecca, however, did become very prosperous because it was situated at the crossroads of many great trade routes. The city was also an important religious center. The Ka’ba, a well-known house of worship was established in Mecca. As Muhammad grew up with his uncle he soon learned to love trading and became a well-known trader. He eventually started working for a woman, Khadijah, who owned a trading business. Sometime later the two married and kept their business (History Alive)
In 610, Muhammad went to a cave in the mountains to pray when he was visited by one of God’s angels. He was asked to become a messenger of God, or a prophet. Muhammad devoted himself to worship his God and to teach God’s words; soon, his wife became the first Muslim convert. Islam, Muhammad’s religion, was based on the belief that there is only one God, or monotheism. At first, ...

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... the Muslims. However, the Muslims were victorious and gained control of Mecca. Soon, the Islamic religion started to spread along the Arabian Peninsula and beyond as their teachings became more popular. Some of the Muslim’s most important teachings are the Five Pillars of Faith. These are a way of life for the Muslims and teach them discipline and kindness. The Muslims also made many contributions to world civilizations in areas of study such as, medicine, math, and architecture. Without the Muslim’s contributions we might not be where we are today.

Works Cited

• Frey, Wendy. History Alive: The Medieval World and Beyond. Palo Alto: TCI, 2005
• Green, John. “Crash Course”. nerfighteria.com. 19 April 2012. Web. 12 March 2014
• “What is Islam?”, Safari Montage, Schlessinger Media, Web- Video, 3-21-14

Figure 8: The Sacred Mosque in Mecca

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