Islam
Published September 1, 2026
Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion that began in the Arabian Peninsula around 622 CE and is now the second largest faith in the world1. Its internet footprint stretches across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Reddit, where dedicated pages share scripture excerpts, prayer reminders, and community discussion3.
Overview
Muslims, as followers of Islam are called, treat the Qur'an as the direct word of God and hold that Prophet Muhammad was God's final messenger3. Daily and yearly practice runs on the Five Pillars: the Shahadah declaration of faith, five daily Salat prayers toward Mecca, Sawm fasting during the month of Ramadan, Zakat charitable giving of 2.5% of savings for those financially able, and the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime. Two major branches, Sunni and Shia, split early over questions of succession after Muhammad.
Online, the religion draws a large community footprint. Urban Dictionary entries push back on media stereotypes, describing Islam as one that teaches kindness and pointing readers to the Qur'an as a holy book similar in role to the Bible or Torah2. That defensive framing shows up often in Muslim social media posts, sitting next to daily prayer reminders, Arabic calligraphy edits, hadith quotes, and Ramadan countdowns.
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Origin & Background
Islam began in the Arabian Peninsula around 622 CE, built around the revelations delivered by the prophet Muhammad and gathered in the Qur'an1. In the decades that followed, the religion spread through the Middle East by word of mouth and by the political expansion of early Muslim rule, which brought inhabitants of newly held territories into the faith1.