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Islam Beliefs History

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To more than a billion people worldwide, Islam is a way of life, a belief system, and a guide. To many others Islam can seem like an enigma. For both kinds of people, and everybody in between, the Web provides the education, tools, news, and community to connect you to one of the world's largest religions.
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The Beliefs and History of Islam
Islam is the religion of Allah, the Muslim name for the Judeo-Christian god, and Muhammad, considered the last of the prophets of Allah. The youngest of the main Abrahamic religions, Islam's history is rich and fascinating, and Islam's beliefs are unique and nuanced. Spread out over every continent, the Islam of today is as varied and complex as it has ever been. The sites in this section help you sort out what Islam is, and what it isn't.

Dulcinea's Insight
When discussing religion, especially one surrounded by so much controversy these days, it's important to know who's doing the talking. Some sites in this guide are from Islamic religious organizations. Others are personal sites, many from converts to Islam who are in the unique position of understanding both sides of a sometimes deep cultural divide.
Many of the Muslim history and belief sites below are evangelical, and should not be thought of as objective or balanced. Despite this, they contain a wealth of information and approach the teaching of the religion with openness and hospitality.
The holy language of Islam is classical Arabic, whose nuances and beauty are intricately tied to the holy text of the Quran. For insight into this language, or if you're brave enough to attempt to learn it, check out the sites below designed to aid in your language discovery.
It's no secret that Islam, like religion in general, occupies a controversial space in international affairs and discourse, leading to a great amount of criticism of the religion. In response to some of these critics, a number of sites exist to combat perceived stereotypes or misconceptions of Islam, such as its connections with sexism, violence, and terrorism. Though the tone might seem defensive and heated, a great deal of insight into the nature of this religion can be found on these sites. Some of the best are included here.
To learn about the Muslim way of prayer and other religious practices, read the "Practicing Islam" section of this guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of Islamic beliefs, practices, and history ...
Islamicity offers an immense amount of information, articles, and educational resources for free. The site does a good job of bringing a human element to the faith, but the quality of the articles does vary from author to author. For a deeper look into Islam, click on the topics of the left navigation bar under "Discover Islam," including the "Islamic Glossary," and the "Ask the Imam" feature.
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A Clear Guide to Islam is, well, just that. Written by a British convert, this guide, aimed both at new Muslims and those interested in the faith, takes you through the major components of the religion and the accompanying lifestyle from a conservative, orthodox Middle Eastern perspective. Navigate using the left sidebar to such useful features as a glossary of Islamic terms. Check out the "Links and Downloads" page for an excellent list of resources.
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Islam For Today is a large collection of articles encompassing all aspects of Islam and emphasizing its heterogeneity, including its history, women's place in it, and the dispelling of misinformed beliefs about the religion. Of particular note is the site's section on the history of Islam, found through the left navigation bar.
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877-Why-Islam is an evangelical but open-minded and inviting site that educates about Islam in a friendly manner. Besides a telephone hotline to which you can call with any questions about Islam, the site will also set up a visit to a mosque for you, and has a number of articles on even controversial topics such as Islam's relationship with terrorism and polygamy.
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Al Islam , under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, takes pains to describe in detail nearly every aspect of the practice of Islam. Of particular note is the "Hajj Step by Step" feature in the Hajj section, accessible through the navigation bar on the left. Once the new window opens, click on different steps of the Hajj to access video and explanations of each step of this sacred pilgrimage that every Muslim is obligated to take.
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Islam Guide is not the prettiest site, but its beginning sections on Islam and science are an interesting and unusual look at the intersection of this faith with scientific fact and history.
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To learn about regional differences and the different sects of Islam ...
Islam For Today brings you this interesting article on the origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam, which constitutes the main division of sects in the religion today. Click to the parent site for more about Islam and its history, including very informative links on Islamic culture and arts, science, medicine, and more.
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The Foreign Policy Research Institute published this article on the historical, cultural, and religious differences, or lack thereof, between Asian and Arab Islam. This is a must-read if you want to truly understand the variation of people and cultures that exist among the Muslims of the world.
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For responses to anti-Islamic criticism ...
Bismika Allahuma contains a number of articles intended to combat misconceptions about Islam. Created in response to perceived "anti-Islam polemics" on the Web, this site aims to portray the true nature of Islam through argument and education, based on textual evidence. It is written from an orthodox perspective.
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Islamic Awareness takes a close scholarly look at much of Islam and the claims against it, relying greatly on textual analysis for its arguments. You'll find here a great many articles, responses to "orientalists," and explanations of Islamic history, beliefs, practices, and texts.
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To read and learn about the Quran ...
Quran Explorer 's online Quran tool is a truly remarkable resource for anyone interested in the Quran at any level. This easily navigable and usable applet lets you jump to any point in the Quran and display the passage of your choice. You can choose from a number of different translations to show alongside the original Arabic, and listen to one of five beautiful recitations. The ability to have it automatically repeat a passage recitation multiple times turns this into a valuable Quran memorization tool as well. Get to the applet by clicking on the "Launch Quran Explorer" button (ignore the rest of the site features, as they don't function well).
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To learn about Islamic art ...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art 's page on Islamic Art is a fascinating look into more than 1,000 years of Islamic art, architecture, artifacts, and writing. There is an unbelievably large amount of interactive multimedia content to help you explore this rich tradition. There is no one central way to navigate this section, so explore and you'll be sure to find interesting features on past and present exhibits, the permanent collection, and specific pieces of art such as the calligraphic