Portal:Islam
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Islam (Arabic: الإسلام al- islām) "the submission to God" is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the world's second largest religion. Followers of Islam, known as Muslims (from the Arabic word, muslimeen, meaning "those who submit to God's will"), believe that God (or, in Arabic, Allāh; also in Aramaic Alaha) revealed his direct word for mankind to the prophet Muhammad (c. 570–632 CE). Revelation and Dawa started when he was at age 40. These revelations are recorded in the Torah (Old Testament), the Injeel (Gospel) [as revealed to Isa (Jesus)], the Zabur (Psalms) and the Qur'an ("Recitation") which Muslims believe to be the final revelation from God to humanity. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last or the seal of the prophets and that his preachings for humankind will last until qiyamah ("The Day of Resurrection", also known as "The Day of Judgement"). Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic: أركان الإسلام) is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. Shirk (polytheism) is considered to be the Unpardonable Sin.  A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. Muslims all over the world often refer to the mosque by its name in Arabic, masjid (pl. masajid) (Arabic: مسجد — pronounced: /mas.ˈɡʲid/ or /mas.ˈʤid/). The Arabic word masjid means temple or place of worship and comes from the Arabic root sajada (root "s-j-d," meaning to bow or kneel) which means he worshipped in reference to the prostrations performed during Islamic prayers. The word mosque in English is used to represent all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, privately-owned mosque and the larger, "collective" mosque (masjid jami) (Arabic: جامع), which has more community and social amenities. The primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer. Nevertheless, mosques are known around the world nowadays for their general importance to the Muslim community as well as their demonstration of Islamic architecture. They have evolved significantly from the open-air spaces that were the Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Nabawi in the seventh century. Today, most mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls. Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, but now one can find mosques on all six inhabited continents where Muslim communities exist. For Muslims, they are not only places to worship and pray; they are also places to learn about Islam and meet other Muslims. On many occasions, places of worship of other faiths such as synagogues or churches were converted into mosques. 
Masjid al-Haram (المسجد الحرام "The Sacred Mosque", is a large mosque in the city of Mecca, and the largest in Islam, and the largest religious building on Earth. It surrounds the Kaaba, the place which all Muslims turn towards each day in prayer and consider to be the holiest place on Earth. The mosque is also commonly known as the Haram or Haram Sharif.[1] The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square meters including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers during the Hajj period. References
Al-Aqsa Mosque (The Farthest Mosque) (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى, [IPA /'ælmæsʤıd ælæqəsɒː/, Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa ), commonly refers to the southern congregational mosque that is part of the complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem known as Al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) to Arabs and Muslims, although the whole area of the Noble Sanctuary is considered Al-Aqsa Mosque according to Islamic law. It is known as Har ha-Bayit (the Temple Mount) to Jews and Christians. It is located in East Jerusalem, a disputed territory governed as part of Israel since its annexation in 1967 but claimed by the Palestinian Authority as part of a future State of Palestine. The largest and most ancient mosque in Palestine, its congregation building can accommodate about 5,000 people worshipping inside it, while the whole Al-Aqsa Mosque compound area may accommodate hundreds of thousands. The government of Israel has granted a Muslim Council, Waqf, full administration of the site. Since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, non-Muslims are barred from entering the site. The congregation building of Al-Aqsa Mosque is referred to as Jami al-Masjid al-Aqsa or al-Masjid al-Qibli. The term al-Masjid Al-Aqsa proper is the general and oldest name for the precinct of al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif. The name al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif was coined later by the Mamluks. The historical significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque is further emphasised by the fact that Muslims used to turn towards Al-Haram al-Sharif when they prayed. As it was the place at which Muhammad performed the first commanded prayer after Isra and Mi'raj, it became the qibla (direction) that Muslims faced during prayer and continued to be so for sixteen or seventeen months. After a revelation recorded in the Qur'an the qibla was then turned towards Mecca. Ali ibn Abu Talib (Approximately: March 17, 599 AD - February 28, 661 AD) was the cousin, son-in-law and one of the Ahl al-Bayt,people of the house, of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, reigning over Rashidun empire from 656 to 661. Shia Muslims glorify Ali as the first infallible Imam and consider him and his descendants as the rightful successors to Muhammad. Sunnis take a different position, revering him as the fourth and final Rashidun (Rightly Guided Caliph). This disagreement resulted in the Muslim community being split into the Sunni and Shi'a branches. Many sources, especially Shi'ite ones, record that Ali was the only person born in the sanctuary of Kaaba in the city of Mecca. His father was Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and his mother was Fatima bint Asad but he was raised in the household of Muhammad. When Muhammad reported receiving a divine revelation, Ali accepted Islam when nine or ten years old, thus becoming the first male Muslim and he dedicated all his life to the cause of Islam. Ali migrated to Medina shortly after Muhammad. There Muhammad told Ali that he had been ordered by God to give his daughter, Fatimah, to Ali in marriage. For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, leading parties of warriors on battles, and carrying messages and orders. With the exception of the Battle of Tabuk, Ali took part in all the battles fought for Islam during this time. Ali was appointed caliph by sahaba (companions of Muhammad) in Medina after the assassination of the third caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan. He encountered defiance and civil war (First Fitna) during his reign. While praying in the mosque of Kufa, Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam assassinated Ali by striking him with a poison-coated sword. Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE. Muslims greatly respect Ali for his knowledge, belief, honesty, unbending devotion to Islam, deep loyalty to Muhammad, equal treatment of all Muslims and generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. In addition, Ali retains his stature as the foremost authority on the tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought. Ali also holds a high position in almost all Sufi muslim orders (tariqah) which trace their lineage through him to Muhammad. In this way, his influence continued throughout Islamic history. Wikinews Islam portal
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