Islam

Islam, which means literally "submission", Muslims believe that Since time began when god created Adam is when Islam began.... In addition to being considered a guidance to personal conduct, Islam has been a powerful political ideology since its inception to this very day.

Islam has rules governing "all institutions, social, economic, political, military, civil, legal, educational, and even private affairs."

Brief history
Islam was conveyed to the world by Muhammed. He claimed to be the last prophet of Allah, a name Arabs, Christians and Jews of Arabia used for the God of the Old Testament. Muhammed conveyed the Koran, which was a holy book that existed eternally in heaven but was revealed to him by an angel of Allah, Gabriel. Islam claims to exist peacefully with Judaism and Christianity, claiming that Jews and Christians are "people of the book", and while certain passages in the Koran support this, others say that Jews and Christians have deviated from the righteous path by either misinterpreting their books or editing parts of them. Islam denies that God ever had a son or became human, saying that Jesus was a prophet and one of the most devoted, highly esteemed five prophets, as well as denying that He has ever died on a cross or otherwise, saying he, Jesus, ascended to heaven. Whereas biblical Christianity spread under heavy persecution in the Roman empire, Islam spread primarily by merchants to the far east and was welcomed by the Eastern Mediterranean and North African people as they suffered under the tyranny of the then-ruling Roman Empire.

Islamic fundamentalism
Islam is unique in that it does not require a "messenger" between its followers and God. Unfortunately, some extreme practising Muslims can read the Quran and unless they have a good insight in the context of its verses, this may lead to a faulty interpretation. This may have contributed in the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Islamic fundamentalism is seen by some analysts as a global threat.

Favorable

 * Islam at the British Broadcasting Corporation
 * IslamOnline.net
 * University of Southern California Compendium of Muslim Texts
 * ReligiousTolerance on Islam
 * For the new converts to Islam

Critical

 * Islam in Prophecy and History
 * Islam Seminar
 * Is Allah the God of the Bible?
 * The Bible and the Quran
 * Islam in History

Videos

 * Suicide bombers holed up in mosque, 30 June 2007