Facts about Islam

1. 07

   Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca required of all Muslims once in their lifetime, drew 1.8 million pilgrims in 2019 before pandemic restrictions temporarily reduced attendance numbers.

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2. 06

   Five daily prayers called salah form one of Islam's Five Pillars and are performed at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset, and night with believers facing Mecca.

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3. 05

   During the 9th century, Al-Khwarizmi, a Persian mathematician at Baghdad's House of Wisdom, developed algebra, fundamentally advancing Islamic and Western mathematics.

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4. 04

   Arabic, the language of the Quran, is spoken by approximately 422 million people worldwide and serves as the official language in 26 countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

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5. 03

   Built between 691 and 705 CE, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem stands as one of Islam's oldest surviving monuments and features a golden dome covering the Foundation Stone.

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6. 02

   Over 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide observe Ramadan annually by fasting from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days each lunar year.

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7. 01

   The Quran contains 114 chapters called surahs, with the longest surah containing 286 verses and the shortest containing only 3 verses.

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