In pre-Mohammed times, Arabs had believed in the moon god of Animism. They still display the crescent moon on top of their shrines. They also had worshipped many idols and devils. When Muhammad came onto the scene (570 AD,) Mohammed claimed his people (Arabs) to be descendant from jew-Abraham through his son Ish'ma-el. With this, he brought to the Arab people the religion of Islam to Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia. This was to unite the Arabs and put an end to the many wars in which their War Lords fought each other.
After Muhammad's death (632 AD), his teachings (23 years of hearing the voice of Angel Gabriel) were compiled in the Qur'an (the recitation.) Muhammad's religion became known as Islam. Today, Islam is the second largest of the world religions, and has recently become the third largest religious body in the US with over 6 million adherents. In the west, there is a Muslim-based sect such as the Nation of Islam that appeals especially to African-Americans. Islam is composed of two major divisions. One is the mainstream known as Sunni (+80%, the largest of the two) and the other is the more radical, known as Shi'ites. The mystical tradition of Sufism includes Sunnis and some Shi'ites sects.

The Arabic word for Islam means "submission to the will of God" and a person who submits to the will of G is called a Muslim. Muslims have the Qur'an (or, Koran), as their "Holy Book", while the Torah, the Psalms of the Old Testament, and the Gospel of the New Testament are also regarded as holy books to them. Yet they hate Jews and Christians. However, only the Qur'an is considered uncorrupted to them. The truth of the matter is that Islam has many flaws within it when it comes to the knowledge of the Will of G. Islam is a religion that has borrowed many ideas, concepts and myths from a whole range of heathen religions along with their own pre-Mohammed Animism traditions. They have taken much from Judaism and Christianity that is incorporated into the teachings of the Qur'an. Muslims have recently called their Qur'an, the "Holy Qur'an" to give the Qur'an the distinction of a holy book.

While Islam fully rejects the Christian Trinity, of its three in one god doctrine, Muslims have come to believe in the fictitious name of Jesus Christ that Christianity had invented. ( [b]Yeshua[/b]  [Yod-shin-vav-ayin] mistransliterated to greek Iesous [Iota-eta-sigma-omicron-upsilon, pronounced ee-yeh-sooce] mistransliterated to latin Iesu or Jesu [pronounced yeh-soo] mistransliterated  to old english Jesus [pronounced G-zeus soft j je-sus, the gentile nickname.] Christos, is derived from the greek word chrio ['to smear or rub with oil.']) (ie. jesus is NOT a hebrew name, He would not recognize nor answer to it! so it is disrespectful to refer to Him by such a fabricated name.)

While Muslims do not believe that the Christian Jesus Christ is the god, they recognize him as being only a human being who was a great prophet. To Muslims, Muhammad is considered to be the greatest prophet of all, whose coming was allegedly predicted by the Christian fictitious Jesus Christ. Islam adheres fiercely to monotheism, in that they recognize only one G, that they call Allah, (which means G in Arabic.)
In addition to doing good works, salvation to Muslims is sought though observance of the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims recite in their prayer..."There is no G but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger." Muslims pray five times per day, they do fasting and give alms (donations to the poor), and make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during a Muslims lifetime.
Muslims seem to give great reverence to a crumbled black and red meteorite that is housed (encased in silver) in a square structure called the Cabal. It is a religious relic from pre-Mohammed Animism traditions.
Historically, Islam experienced tremendous growth often by forced proselytism. Those people who they consider as unbelievers (infidels) are often offered conversion or death. While there are some Muslim groups who exhibit tolerance towards other faiths, Islamic fundamentalism on the other hand promotes jihad (holy war,) against those people of other religious or political views. They promote terrorism all around the world and are involved in the promotion of suicidal bombing activities for their cause. They see people not of their religion with enmity (hatred.) They look upon these people as their enemies, those who choose not to follow in their religion.
These Islamic fundamentalist, in my view, adhere to a very false and dangerous religion. One has been too aware of these type of Islamic fundamentalist in recent times by the recent exposure of the Telaban rule in Afghanistan.