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Islam History
Islam was founded in the year 610 AD. The founder was Ubu'l-Kassim who was born in Mecca (modern day Saudi Arabia) 570 AD, and died in Medina (Saudi Arabia) in 632 AD at 62 years of age. He was to become known as Muhammad, the Prophet.
The Islam religion is known by several sources: Islam means complete submission to ALLAH (the word is always to be capitalized in order to show honor and respect); meaning, the one God, or God and Creator. Muslim, or Moslem, means to be a follower of the Muslim religion, or the Islamic religion. The word muhammad, from which the Prophet took his name, means the faithful. Anyone who says out loud: "There is no god, but ALLAH, and Muhammad is his prophet" is automatically a Muslim.
According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad, at the age of 40, was confronted by a being that identified himself as the angel Gabriel. It was the angel Gabriel who commanded him to "proclaim the name of God."
What Muhammad saw and heard in successive revelations over some 20 years was summarized in what became Islam's sacred book, the Qur'an (also known as the Koran by its English name). Because Muhammad could neither read nor write, he memorized the Koran's 114 chapters, and transmitted its teachings orally.
The Qur'an (meaning, "the recitation") is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the original Arabic text to be the final revelation of God. It was revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel from 610 AD until his death in 632 AD.
The Islam religion regards the Qur'an as the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with those revealed to Adam, regarded in Islam as the first prophet, and continued with the Scrolls of Abraham, the Torah or Pentateuch, the Book of Psalms, and the Christian Gospels. While the contents of these books are not physically affixed within the Qur'an, they are recognized therein, as well as many events from Jewish and Christian scriptures.
Muslims regard Adam as the first prophet, and Muhammad as the last prophet; hence, Muhammad's title "Seal of the Prophets." Islam regards Jesus as a messenger because he received the revelation from ALLAH, through which ALLAH revealed the Gospel to him. Five prophets receive the highest reverence for their perseverance and unusually strong commitment to God in the face of great suffering; namely, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Therefore, it is taught that the Qur'an continues God's earlier revelations, the Hebrew Bible and The Christian Bible (Old and New Testaments), and is as their culmination:
"We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel, and you have nothing of guidance until you observe the Torah and the Gospel." (Qur'an 5:68 & 5:70) This entitles Jews and Christians to be included with Muslims as "People of the Book."
History Channel Video About Islam
Part 2
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Islam is an Abrahamic Religion
Therefore, Islam is one of the three faiths of Abraham, who is recognized as being the Father of Judaism. In the Jewish Scriptures, God promised Abraham that through his offspring, all the nations of the world will come to be blessed: "All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (The Bible, Genesis 12:3). "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of not just one nation, but a multitude of nations." (The Bible, Genesis 17:2)
Muslims acknowledge Abraham to be the father of the people of Israel through his son Isaac by his wife Sarah. For Muslims, he is a prophet of Islam and the ancestor of Muhammad through his other son Ishmael who born to him by his second wife, Hagar. (The Hebrew Scriptures, however, refer to Hagar as Sarah's servant).
The Hebrew Scriptures explain this background. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, "father of many." Abraham married Sarah. Her name was changed from Sarai to Sarah, which means "princess." At this time both Abraham and Sarah were both very old, Abraham being about 100, and Sarah being about 90 years in age.
Sarah being past child-bearing years, had no son, and Abraham wanting to continue his line, took Hagar, with Sarah's blessing, as a stand-in wife.
"But Sarai, Abram's wife, had no children. So Sarai took her servant, an Egyptian woman named Hagar, and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children." (Bible, Genesis 16:1)
This was a common practice of that time; meaning, the culture of the time. A married woman who could not have children was shamed by her peers, and culture often required giving a female servant to her husband in order to produce heirs. The children born to the servant woman were considered the children of the wife. Abraham was acting in line with the custom of the day, but 
his action showed a lack of faith that God would fulfill his promise: ".....for you will have a son of your own to inherit everything I am giving you." (Bible, Genesis 15:4) And then in Genesis 17:19, "But God replied, 'Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You will name him Isaac....' "
Therefore, Hagar conceived, and had a son named Ishmael. Tradition says that the Muslim people come from this line. Later as an old woman and as God had promised, Sarah conceived, and had a son named Isaac. The Jewish people came from this line.
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God Promises A Nation for Jews AND Islam
The Jewish Scriptures continue that as time moved on Sarah, now as a whole mother, became upset over petty jealousies as well as grievances and problems with Hagar abusing privileges, and ordered Hagar, with her son, out of the family. "So, she turned to Abraham and demanded, 'Get rid of that servant, and her son. He is not going to share the family inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won't have it!' This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, 'Do not be upset over the boy and your servant wife. Do just as Sarah says, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. But I will make a nation of the descendants of Hagar's son because he also is your son.' " (Bible, Genesis 21:10 - 13)
So, God did promise Abraham to make Ishmael's offspring a great nation. "As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will cause him to multiply, and become a great nation." (Bible, Genesis 17:20)
"Abraham lived for 175 years, and he died at a ripe old age, joining ancestors in death. His sons Isaac and Ishmael were re-united, and they buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre ....." (Hebrew Bible, Genesis 25:7 - 9) Marme is located in the Palestine/Israel area of the West Bank. There is nothing recorded of the either pomp or ceremony of his funeral. We are only told that his sons Isaac and Ishmael came together as brothers, and buried him.
It was the last office of respect they had to pay to their good father. There was formerly some distance between Isaac and Ishmael, but it seems either Abraham had himself brought them together while he lived or, at least, his death reconciled them. They buried him in his own burying place which he had purchased, and in which he had buried Sarah. Those in life who have been very dear to each other and desire to be buried together in a manner deserving praise, wish not be divided in their death in their hopes of rising together.
As to the life of Ishmael: "And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness of Paran. He became an expert archer." (Bible, Genesis 21:20) They lived in the wilderness, and this area of Paran is located south of Israel. The region of Paran is the area where Mecca is located.
As time moved on, his mother married him to an Egyptian woman, and Ishmael became a ruler of a large nation. According to the Hebrew Scriptures, Ishmael had twelve sons, whose families became distinct tribes. The number and strength of this family were the fruit of the promise, made to Hagar and to Abraham, concerning Ishmael.
They were known as Ishmaelites. They peopled a very large country that lay between Egypt and Assyria, called Arabia. "Ishmael finally died at the age of 137, and joined his ancestors in death." (Bible, Genesis 25:17)
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