Islam emerged in Arabia in the seventh century AD. Muslims believe that God (Allah in Arabic) called Muhammad to be a prophet and gave him a message for his people. The following is an historical outline according to Islamic traditions.
What Do Muslims Believe?
Muslims vary hugely across the globe, but there are some basic beliefs and practices that the vast majority of Muslims would view as normative, whether or not they adhere to these closely.
Commonly, there are six articles of faith that Muslims are meant to believe and five pillars of faith they are meant to practice.
Medina in Birmingham
Medina in Birmingham, Najaf in Brent: Inside British Islam, by Innes Bowen
Don’t know your Deobandi from your Bohras? Innes Bowen provides a clear and detailed guide to the variety of Muslim streams and movements present in the UK. Although the book is now ten years old, it is still an invaluable source of background information. Bowen’s agenda is entirely informational; she is a BBC journalist who set out to research an area she did not know about. There is nothing else quite like it. She drew on the work of Muslim researcher Mehmood Naqshbandi whose website www.muslimsinbritain.org provides helpful local information using terms which Bowen helps us interpret.