Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion teaching that Muhammad is the last messenger of God (Allah). Its central text is the Quran, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
The Five Pillars of Islam form the foundation of Muslim life: the shahada (declaration of faith), salah (five daily prayers), zakat (charitable giving), sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). These practices unite the global Muslim community (ummah) across diverse cultural contexts.
Islam's major branches — Sunni (approximately 85-90% of Muslims) and Shia (10-15%) — differ primarily on questions of religious authority and succession after Muhammad's death. Sufi traditions, which emphasize mystical experience and spiritual closeness to God, exist within both branches. Islamic scholarship spans theology, law (sharia), philosophy, science, and art, representing one of the world's richest intellectual traditions.