Islam is the major world religion belonging to the Semitic family; it was promulgated by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia in 7th century AD. The Arabic term Islam, literally "surrender," illuminates fundamental religious idea of Islam-that the believer (called a Muslim, from the active particle of islam) accepts "surrender to the will of Allah (Arabic: God)." Allah is viewid as the sole God-creator, sustainer, and restorer of the world.
The will of Allah, to which man must submit, is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Quran (Koran), which Allah revealed to his messenger, Muhammad. In Islam Muhammad is considered the last of series of prophets (including Adam, Noah, Jesus, and others), and his message simultaneously consummates and abrogates the "revelation" attributed to earlier prophets.
Retaining its emphasis on uncompromising monotheism and a strict adherence to certain essential religious practices, the religion taught by Muhammad to small group of follower spread rapidly through the Middle East to Africa, Europa, the Indian subcontinent, the Malay, Peninsula, and China. Altouhg many sectarian movements have arisen within Islam, all Muslim are bound by common faith and a sense of belonging to a single community.
This article deal with the founding of Islam by Muhammad, the fundamental beliefs and practices of the religion. and the connection of religion and society in the Islamic wilrd. The history of the various people who embraced Islam is covered in the article Islamic Wolrd.
(Britanica)