A guided path

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For readers who want more than an overview: the life of the Prophet ﷺ in its historical setting, how the Quran was revealed and preserved, the first caliphates, and questions scholars have discussed for fourteen centuries.

8 readings

  1. HistoryThe Life of the Prophet ﷺ (Seerah)

    The life story (seerah) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — from his birth in Mecca around 570 CE, through the first revelation, the migration to Medina, and the early Muslim community, to his Farewell Pilgrimage and death in 632 CE.

  2. HistoryA Short History of Islam

    An overview of Islam's history — from its beginnings in 7th-century Arabia, through the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the great Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, to a global faith of nearly two billion people today.

  3. HistoryThe Rightly-Guided Caliphs

    In Sunni Islam, the first four caliphs — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali — are honored as the Rightly-Guided (Rashidun) Caliphs, who led the Muslim community from 632 to 661 CE through a period of consolidation and rapid expansion.

  4. TimelinesTimeline: The Revelation of the Qur'an

    A timeline of how the Qur'an was revealed over roughly 23 years — from the first words in the cave of Hira around 610 CE, through the Meccan and Medinan periods, to the final verses in 632 CE.

  5. TimelinesTimeline: The Early Caliphates

    An era timeline of the first caliphates — the Rashidun (632–661), the Umayyad (661–750), and the Abbasid (750–1258) — drawn to scale so the span of each is visible at a glance.

  6. BeliefsDivine Decree (Qadar)

    Belief in divine decree (qadar) is one of the six articles of faith. In mainstream Sunni theology it means God has knowledge of and power over all that happens, while human beings retain genuine choice and are accountable for their actions.

  7. BeliefsThe Revealed Books

    Belief in God's revealed books is one of the six articles of faith. Muslims believe God sent scriptures — including the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, and the Gospel to Jesus — with the Quran as the final, preserved revelation.

  8. CommunityThe Sunni and Shia Traditions

    Sunni and Shia are the two main branches of Islam. They share the same core beliefs — the one God, the Quran, Muhammad ﷺ as the final prophet, and the five pillars — and their division began as a 7th-century disagreement over leadership of the community.

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