Islam

Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran and the teachings of its founder, Muhammad. With around 1.9 billion adherents, Muslims form the world's second-largest religious group after Christians. 

Muslims believe Islam is the final and complete revelation of a primordial faith revealed through prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. They regard the Quran as the literal word of God and consider Muhammad the last prophet. The teachings of Muhammad, known as the sunnah, are recorded in the hadith and guide Muslim practices. Central to Islam is the Five Pillars: the declaration of faith (shahada), daily prayers (salah), almsgiving (zakat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). 

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Islam originated in Mecca around 610 CE and spread rapidly across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The two main branches are Sunni (85–90%) and Shia (10–15%), stemming from historical disagreements over Muhammad's succession. Muslims mainly reside in Indonesia, South Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa, making Islam the fastest-growing major religion globally.