Umar I
Umar ibn Al-khattab was the second leader of the Muslim community after the death of Muhammad. Later
generations of Muslims idolized him, remembering him as a pious and often stern man under whom Islam
developed into an ever stronger political and
The Branches of Islam
Like all religions, Islam has not maintained its original unity. Within a generation of the Prophet's death,
Muslims were at war with each other over political leadership and the proper interpretation of Islamic
spirituality. General
Muslim population in Outremer
The Muslim population of Outremer was a sizable component of the subjected, indigenous population of
Outremer, and the one most affected by the period of Frankish rule inaugurated by the First Crusade
(10961099).
Muslims prob
Muslim Conquests
The Muslim Conquests of 624982 were wars that transformed a religion into an empire. Islam's
enemies, particularly the Byzantine Empire and Persia, which had been engaged in a protracted war,
were weak and exhausted and thus ripe for conq
Muhammad
Muhammad is considered the highest prophet of Islam, the man whom Muslims believe received a
revelation from God and formed a religious community around that revelation. Although many details of
Muhammad's life remain unknown, his influence on th
Masjid al-Haram, alAl-Masjid al-Haram, located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the largest mosque in the world, and in its midst is
the Kaaba, a black cubical structure toward which Muslims orient themselves when offering prayers to
Allah. Muslims consider it
Introduction to Islam
Islam is a monotheistic faith that claims Allah (the term for God in Arabic) has revealed himself supremely
through the Prophet Muhammad and in the Koran, the holy book of Islam given to the Prophet by the
angel Gabriel. Muslims beli
Hajj
One of the goals of any pious male Muslim is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, at least once
in his life. This pilgrimage is seen as a symbol of life as it should be lived in both this world and the next. It
brings into focus Allah's sover
caliphate
The caliphate was the institution of leadership of the Muslim umma (community).
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, the Muslim community found itself
faced with a dilemma: the Koran provided no clear indication of who was intended to
Ali ibn Abi Talib
Ali ibn Abi Talib is one of the most important figures in the history of Islamic religion and civilization. One
of the companions of the prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph of the Islamic community, Ali is a
figure widely beloved by M
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