Introduction

There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his messenger. This is the core concept of Islam, a monotheistic tradition that emerged in the 7th century in Arabia, and which traces its roots back to the one god of the Hebrews. Muhammad began to receive messages from the one god (Allah) in his later life, and these were memorised, written, and eventually compiled into a single book called the Qur’an (Arabic for the recitation).

Muhammad and the Qur’an are essentially the foundation of Islam, and all Muslims assert the key phrase that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is his messenger. This assertion is known as the shahada, and must be recited in order to become a Muslim.

The Islamic traditions branch out from this point, notably into the Shia and Sunni traditions, but there are many other smaller groups.

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Islam

Introduction

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Islam

Introduction

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See also

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