Abrahamic — Islam

Islam, founded by the Prophet Muhammad in 7th-century Arabia, is the world's second-largest religion. Its sacred geography centers on three primary sites: Mecca (birthplace of Muhammad and site of the Ka'aba, the House of God, toward which all Muslims pray); Medina (where Muhammad established the first Muslim community and is buried); and Jerusalem (Al-Quds, the third holiest site, where Muhammad ascended to heaven in the Night Journey, and where the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock stand on the Temple Mount). The Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of Islam's Five Pillars, obligatory once in a lifetime for all Muslims able to undertake it. Islam is a global religion with diverse branches (Sunni, Shia, Sufi, and others), yet unified by the Qur'an and devotion to a single God (Allah). Sacred Islamic sites extend far beyond the Arabian Peninsula — mosques, tombs of saints, and mountains with spiritual significance span Africa, Asia, Europe, and beyond.