The history of this religion begins with the self-proclaimed prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Mecca in A.D. 570 into a culture characterized by polytheism and animism. While little factual information is known about the early life of Muhammad it is believed that he was orphaned at the age of six and was reared by his grandfather and uncle. In his late teens he married a very wealthy widow for whom he worked for several years. With this marriage came access to great wealth and riches.

In A.D. 610, Muhammad claimed he had been visited by the angel Gabriel and commissioned to be a prophet of God. His message was simple and elegant: There is one God to whom all people must submit and there will be a day of judgment in which all humans will be judged according to their deeds, both good and evil.Shortly after receiving the visions from God, Muhammad began to denounce polytheism and proclaim Allah the one true God. Muhammad faced much opposition to this new course in religion. It is commonly believed that due to the increasingly aggressive hostility directed against him by the traders at Mecca, Muhammad and his small band of followers fled Mecca to Medina on July 16, 622. This “flight” from Mecca, which Muslims call the “Hijra,” marks the official beginning to the Islamic religion.

Following the beginning of this religion came many bloody battles. One such battle took place in the early eighth century. A follower of Muhammad and a leader in a crusade in Armenia, Walid I gathered the nobles of Armenia in the church of St. Gregory in the town of Naxcawan and therein the presence of the townspeople, he skinned them alive, poured salt on them, and burned their screaming abused bodies to their deaths. While different divisions (Shi’its, Sunnis, Wahhabis, and Kurds) grew out of this religion, and some even peaceful, the Islamic religion will always be attached to its violent history.

The religion of Islam has experienced much growth over the centuries. It is estimated that Muslims number approximately 1.6 billionworldwide. They are estimated to be perhaps the fastest growing religion in the world. The basis of their religion is their belief in one true god, Allah. They hold the Qur’an as the final authority of their beliefs and that gives permission to go to war with any that do not believe in Allah, the Qur’an, or the ways of the religion. Their history speaks for itself. A horrifically violent past will continue to follow them in all aspects of their movements. While this writer understands that there is a radical group in the midst of those who desire peace, they all proclaim to follow the same rule.