Religion News Service: Muslim men have often been portrayed as ‘terrorists’ or ‘fanatics’ on TV shows, but Muslim-led storytelling is trying to change that narrative
Muslim men have often been portrayed as ‘terrorists’ or ‘fanatics’ on TV shows, but Muslim-led storytelling is trying to change that narrative
To become a Muslim and to convert to Islam, it is essential to say the Shahada in front of Muslim witnesses, [81] one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a declaration of faith and trust that professes that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is God's messenger. [82]
The faith of Islam helped various Muslim peoples in their struggle to gain political freedom in the mid-20th century, and the unity of Islam contributed to later political solidarity.
While the majority of Muslims are Sunnis, estimated to constitute 75-90% of the global Muslim population, the Shi’a community, making up about 10-20%, experiences different socio-political dynamics and sometimes discrimination from other Muslim groups.
A series of Muslim leaders, known as caliphs, became successors to Muhammad as spiritual and civil heads. This system of leadership became known as a caliphate.
Understanding the origins of Islam, from the life of Prophet Muhammad to the early expansion of the Muslim community, is crucial to comprehending the depth and breadth of the Muslim religion.
These tribes needed to be united in the interests of stability, and Islam became the means of binding them together. After the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE, the leadership of the Muslim Ummah (community) was taken by Abu Bakr, who assumed the title of caliph (successor of the Prophet).