What is Islam and what do Muslims believe in?

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The word 'Islam' in Arabic means submission to the will of God.

Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe there is one true God Allah (the Arabic word for God).

What do Muslims believe?

Muslims believe that Islam was revealed over 1,400 years ago in Mekkah, Arabia through a man called Muhammad.

Muhammad is so respected that it is usual for Muslims to say 'peace be upon him' whenever they mention his name.

Muhammad is believed by Muslims to be the last prophet sent by God (Allah). They believe God sent prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law.

Jesus (Isa), Moses (Musa) and Abraham (Ibrahim) are other respected prophets.

Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are an important part of Muslim life. They are five things that a Muslim must do so they can live a good and responsible life. They include:

The declaration of faith (Shahada)
Praying five times a day (Salat)
Giving money to charity (Zakah)
Fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm)
A pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in a lifetime (Hajj)

What is the holy book of Islam

The Muslim holy book is called the Qur'an. Muslims believe this to be the word of Allah as dictated to Muhammad.

They also have the Sunnah, which Muslims believe to be the practical example of Prophet Muhammad.

Where do Muslims worship?

Muslims worship in a building called a mosque. On Friday at noon, the most important of the weekly services is held.

When Muslims pray, they must always face Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Many Muslim men will wear a small cap called a taqiyah when they pray.

Islam in pictures

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Image caption,
Mosque
Mosques are places of worship for Muslims all over the world. Mosques usually have rules like leaving shoes outside and dressing modestly.
Image caption,
Imam
Imams lead worship in a mosque and are important community figures. They are there to offer spiritual guidance and life advice for the Muslims in their community.
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Makkah
Makkah is the holiest city in Islam. It is Muhammad’s birthplace and also the place the Qur'an was revealed. Hajj is a huge yearly pilgrimage to Makkah, attracting several million Muslims from all over the world. All Muslims (as long as they are healthy and able to travel) try to do Hajj at least once in their life.
Image caption,
The Qur'an
The Qur'an is the most important book in Islam. Muslims believe it was revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Angel Jibreel. It has details on the existence of Allah, morality and historical events.
Image caption,
Salah (prayer)
Salah (or prayer) is very important to Muslims. Muslims pray five times a day and they must be facing the direction of Makkah.

Resources for teachers

Looking for more teaching resources? This short video of eleven-year-old Sara gives an introduction to Islam by describing the Five Pillars of Islam, the main rules Muslims try to live by.

91�ȱ� Teach has thousands of free, curriculum-linked resources to help deliver lessons - all arranged by subject and age group.

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What is Islam?