The Prophet Muhammad left behind the Quran, his traditions (sunna), and reports of his words and deeds (hadith) as guidance for Muslims when he died. His companions then took on leadership roles to teach and interpret these sources. There is a belief that God sends a "renewer" at the beginning of each century to strengthen Islam, though who qualifies as a genuine renewer is disputed. Over time, various individuals and groups have influenced the practice of Islam in different ways, sometimes consolidating it, other times challenging it or causing divisions that still exist today, such as the split between Sunni and Shi'a Islam resulting from the assassination of the fourth caliph shortly after Muhammad's death.
The Prophet Muhammad left behind the Quran, his traditions (sunna), and reports of his words and deeds (hadith) as guidance for Muslims when he died. His companions then took on leadership roles to teach and interpret these sources. There is a belief that God sends a "renewer" at the beginning of each century to strengthen Islam, though who qualifies as a genuine renewer is disputed. Over time, various individuals and groups have influenced the practice of Islam in different ways, sometimes consolidating it, other times challenging it or causing divisions that still exist today, such as the split between Sunni and Shi'a Islam resulting from the assassination of the fourth caliph shortly after Muhammad's death.
The Prophet Muhammad left behind the Quran, his traditions (sunna), and reports of his words and deeds (hadith) as guidance for Muslims when he died. His companions then took on leadership roles to teach and interpret these sources. There is a belief that God sends a "renewer" at the beginning of each century to strengthen Islam, though who qualifies as a genuine renewer is disputed. Over time, various individuals and groups have influenced the practice of Islam in different ways, sometimes consolidating it, other times challenging it or causing divisions that still exist today, such as the split between Sunni and Shi'a Islam resulting from the assassination of the fourth caliph shortly after Muhammad's death.
When the Prophet Muhammad died in 11 AH (632 CE), he left
behind a Revelation from Allah (the Quran), a tradition (the sunna of the Prophet), and the reports of what he did, said and approved (hadith). There were also his companions who would assume leadership roleswho would be the teachers and interpreters within the community, who were followers of the Prophet. In Islam, there is a widely held belief based on sunna that God sends a renewer at the beginning of each century to restore or strengthen Islam. Who is a genuine renewer (mujaddid) is a matter of considerable dispute. Through the centuries, from the earliest years of Islam, there have been individuals and groups who have had great influence on the practice of Islam. Sometimes they have been a focus for consolidation, sometimes they have challenged, and sometimes they have caused disputes that resulted in rifts within the community of Islam in a way that is still apparent today. Indeed, the major division between Sunni and Shii Islam occurred with the assassination of the fourth caliph only twentynine years after the Prophets death.