Islams

Islams is not a standard term in Islamic studies; the religion is normally referred to as Islam. The plural form Islams may appear in some discussions to denote the diverse communities, practices, or expressions within Islam, but it is not commonly used in scholarly writing.

Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic faith that emerged in the 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula, after revelations Muhammad is believed to have received from God. The central creed is the oneness of God (Tawhid). The primary sacred text is the Quran, complemented by the Hadith literature, which records the sayings and actions of Muhammad.

Core practices include the Five Pillars: declaration of faith (shahada), daily prayers (salat), almsgiving (zakat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). The law and daily conduct are drawn from the Qur'an and Hadith and developed by various schools of jurisprudence (fiqh).

Two major branches dominate: Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, with further subgroups such as the four Sunni madhahib (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) and Twelver, Ismaili, and Zaidi among Shia. Ibadi Islam is a distinct tradition primarily in Oman. Sufism, a mystical dimension, spans many communities.

Today, Islam is practiced worldwide, with large communities in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. The religion exhibits considerable diversity in theology, law, ritual practice, and cultural adaptation, and it engages with contemporary issues such as reform, secular governance, interfaith relations, and minority rights.