Core Beliefs
This is the major monotheistic religion founded in the 7th century, whose name translates to "submission to the will of God."
Islam
Known as Sawm, this practice of refraining from food and drink from dawn until sunset occurs during the holy month of Ramadan.
Fasting
he title for the supreme religious and political leader of the unified Islamic community following the death of Mohammad.
Caliph
udaism, Christianity, and Islam all trace their spiritual lineage back to this foundational patriarch.
Abraham
Along with military conquests, Islam spread rapidly across Asia and Africa primarily through these traveling business people who exchanged goods, ideas, and religious beliefs.
Traders/ Merchants
A follower of Islam who submits to the will of God.
Muslim
The tax traditionally levied on non-Muslim subjects living within an Islamic state in exchange for protection and exemption from military service.
Jizya Tax
The spiritual leader of a Muslim community or mosque who leads prayers.
Imam
These are the three distinct sacred texts that serve as the foundational scriptures for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, respectively.
Torah, Bible, Quran
Traveling across the Sahara Desert along major trade routes, West African empires like Mali and Ghana adopted Islam partly through trade in these two valuable natural resources.
Gold and Salt
Considered by Muslims to be the final prophet who restored the original monotheistic faith through divine revelations.
Mohammad
The city to which Mohammad and his early followers migrated in 622 CE during the Hijrah, becoming the first capital of the expanding Islamic state.
Medina
The largest branch of Islam, making up about 85–90% of Muslims, who believed leadership after Mohammad should pass to elected, capable leaders starting with Abu Bakr.
Sunni
This ancient city contains major holy sites for all three Abrahamic faiths, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Jerusalem
Because early Islamic law guaranteed safety and religious freedom to "People of the Book" who paid the Jizya tax, many conquered citizens found living under this rule fair and desirable.
Islamic Caliphate
The holy book of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God revealed to the prophet over a 23-year period.
Qu'ran
The holiest city in Islam, birthplace of the Prophet Mohammad, and the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Mecca
The branch of Islam whose followers believed leadership should remain within Mohammad’s family line, specifically starting with his cousin and son-in-law Ali.
Sh'ia/ Shiite
Unlike polytheistic faiths of the ancient world, all three Abrahamic religions strictly share this core theological belief in a single, all-powerful God.
Monotheism
Islamic rule expanded all the way into Western Europe, establishing a vibrant culture of learning and architecture in this modern-day European country on the Iberian Peninsula.
Spain
The sacred place of worship for Muslims, often featuring minarets and dome architecture.
Mosque
The mutual reliance between people, regions, or empires for goods, ideas, and trade—a key factor in the spread of Islamic civilization along global trade routes.
Interdependence
What are the 5 Pillars of Islam?
Shahada (Declaration of Faith): The central creed stating, "There is no god but God, and Mohammad is the messenger of God." Reciting this with sincere belief is the defining step to becoming a Muslim.
Salah (Prayer): The requirement to perform five obligatory prayers throughout the day—at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night—facing toward the Kaaba in Mecca.
Zakat (Almsgiving/Charity): The obligation for financially capable Muslims to donate a set percentage of their accumulated wealth each year to support the poor and needy.
Sawm (Fasting): The requirement to fast from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from food, drink, and worldly vices to cultivate self-control, spiritual growth, and empathy for those less fortunate.
Hajj (Pilgrimage): The pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must undertake at least once in their lifetime.
Ranked from oldest to newest by their historical origins, this is the chronological order in which the three major Abrahamic religions emerged.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Muslim scholars made major advances in mathematics, including the creation of this branch of math whose name comes from the Arabic word al-jabr.
Algebra