Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion whose followers, called Muslims, hold that Prophet Muhammad was God's final messenger and that the Qur'an is God's direct word[2].

Where did Islam come from?

It began in the Arabian Peninsula around 622 CE, founded around the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the revelations recorded in the Qur'an[1].

What does Islam mean?

The word Islam translates as submission to God, and practitioners on Urban Dictionary commonly render its meaning as peace[2].

How do you practice Islam?

Muslims typically follow the Five Pillars: the Shahadah declaration, five daily Salat prayers, Sawm fasting during Ramadan, Zakat charity, and the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca if able[1].

Is Islam still popular?

Yes, it is the second largest religion in the world, with sizeable communities on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Reddit alongside its billion-plus offline following[5].

Islam

622religionclassic

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.

religion memes urban dictionary memes tumblr memes culture war memes

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.

Origin & Background

Platform

Arabian Peninsula (historical) / Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit (online community spread)

Creator

Prophet Muhammad

Date

622

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.

How It Spread

With the founding of the Islamic Ottoman Empire in 1299 CE, Islam expanded further as the empire stretched across three continents over the following centuries1. Today it is the second largest religion in the world, with major populations across the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and diaspora communities worldwide.

Its online presence spans the major platforms. Twitter hosts accounts like Islamic Thoughts and hashtag-driven Islam pages that share verses and hadith. Facebook holds large communities such as I LOVE ISLAM and Talk Islam. Tumblr features aesthetic blogs like The Beauty of Islam and iLuv Islam, while Reddit's /r/islam runs as a Q&A hub for practicing users and curious outsiders5. Introductory YouTube videos, including a walkthrough of the faith uploaded to the platform, cover the basics for newcomers4.

Know Your Meme catalogued Islam alongside its social footprint, listing dozens of dedicated pages across each major platform in its writeup3.

Frequently Asked Questions

References (5)