The Quran (sometimes spelled Qur’an or Koran) is considered the most important holy book among Muslims.
It contains some basic information that is found in the Hebrew Bible as well as revelations that were given to Muhammad. The text is considered the sacred word of God and supercedes any previous writings.
Most Muslims believe that Muhammad’s scribes wrote down his words, which became the Quran. (Muhammad himself was never taught to read or write.)
The book is written with Allah as the first person, speaking through Gabriel to Muhammad. It contains 114 chapters, which are called surahs.
Scholars believe the Quran was compiled shortly after Muhammad’s death, under the guidance of Caliph Abu Bakr.
Islamic Calendar, Symbols
The Islamic calendar, also called the Hijra calendar, is a lunar calendar used in Islamic religious worship. The calendar began in the year A.D. 622, celebrating the journey of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.
The Islamic calendar indicates the proper days of Islamic holidays and celebrations, including the period of fasting and prayer known as Ramadan, which occurs during the ninth month of the calendar.
As in many religions, there is no single image or symbol of Islam that is universally accepted by all Muslims worldwide.
The crescent moon and star has been adopted in some predominantly Muslim countries as a symbol of Islam, though the crescent moon and star image is believed to pre-date Islam and was originally a symbol of the Ottoman Empire.
In some other applications, such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian aid movement, a red crescent indicates that followers of Islam are respected and treated accordingly.
The color green is also sometimes associated with Islam, as it was reportedly a favorite color of Muhammad’s and is often featured prominently in the flags of predominantly Muslim countries.