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Quick Facts About Islam   
- Founder: Islam was founded by Mohammad (first named Abul Kasem Ibn Abdullah) in approximately 610 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Mohammad believed he received revelations from God's archangel Gabriel. These revelations subsequently were codified into the Qur'an.
- God: Muslims believe there is only one God, Allah, and Mohammad was his prophet/messenger.
- Holy books: They believe in the books from God: Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Psalms), New Testament (Gospel of Jesus), and the Qur'an. However, they believe all existing versions of the bible have been corrupted; thus, the discontinuity with the Qur'an.
- Angels: They believe in angels and Jinn. Angels are from God and Jinn are both good and evil.
- Prophets: Muslims believe that God sent many prophets. The total number sent is 124,000. He sent different prophets to different people groups, these include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad.
- Life after death: The day of judgement. This life will end on the appointed day and everything will be annihilated. Everyone who ever lived will be judged, based on their deeds. However, no amount of good deeds can assure the Muslim paradise. They hope for God's mercy.
- 5 Pillars: are things that a good Muslim must do, but doing them in no way assures paradise.
- Confession of faith: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his messenger"
- Ritual prayer: 5 times daily, facing Mecca, after ritual washing of hands, feet, and bodily orifices (ablution).
- Obligatory alms: A specified amount of property and income.
- Ramadan: A 30-day fast annually, wherein no food or drink, smoking, or sex is partaken during daylight hours.
- Pilgrimmage: Mandatory once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca (if one can afford it) to the "House of God" (Kaaba) during the month of Hajj.
- I recently read Isaiah 60:1-7 and noted several unusual sounding names. Looking them up, I learned that they are the names of the sons and grandsons of Abraham who gave their names to the various Arab tribes. (I began thinking about "tribes" after reading Revelation --every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -- as well as our SA 24/7 prayer guides listing the tribes.) So now, Isaiah 60 takes on a new meaning for me as a Saudi Prayer Advocate: God has promised to bring all the Arab tribes to Himself. "Arise, shine, for your light has come...nations will come to your light...young camels of Midian and Ephah...and from Sheba...all Kedar's flock will be gathered to you...the rams of Nebaioth will serve you."
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- Midian - fourth son of Abraham, peoples of the north west corner of Arabia (Hejaz), father of the Midianites.
- Ephah - son of Midian, another tribe along north east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba.
- Sheba - either (a) the area of south west Arabia noted for trade during time of Solomon (Queen of Sheba) or (b) the son of Jokshan, a son of Abraham.
- Kedar - (a) a second son of Ishmael, father of the Kedarites, one of the most prominent tribes of North Arabia and (b) generally, a name for Arab Bedouin.
- Nebaioth - first son of Ishmael, the North Arabian decendants of Kedar.
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