The cave Hira where, according to Muslim belief,
Muhammad received his first revelation

In the early seventh century, a man named Muhammad began preaching about a new religion, Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad was a prophet, and that his teachings were provided to him by God. Through travel and battles, Muhammad and his followers spread Islam from Mecca to Medina, and later to the rest of the Arabian Peninsula.

Islam is a monotheistic religion that consists of a strict moral code and a set of five acts, the Five Pillars of Islam, which are considered necessary for followers of the religion. The teachings of Muhammad were recorded in the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an. Written in Arabic, the Qur’an is valued by Muslims as the word of God, with whom they have a direct relationship through prayer. While sharing several characteristics with Christianity and Judaism, Islam has a unique culture.