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Synopsis Islam or the religion of the followers of Prophet Muhammad is one of the living faiths of the world. It is held by the Muslims that their Prophet did not propound the religion, but propagated the true religion what he received through revelations from God, which are now recorded in the Quran. The adherents of Islam also believe that their religion is not merely a creed or a mode of worship, but the way to a full-fledged ideal life. Islam, both as a religion and as an organization, was the spirit behind the unification of the Arabs and the expansion of their power over vast areas of two continents. In the middle ages, Islam served as the bridge between the East and the West in science and philosophy. It is, even today, a power to reckon with, being the only religion professed by the oil-rich countries of the Middle East, which are at times the deciding in factors in the rivalry among the superpowers. A full chapter has been devoted to the origin and development of various sects of Islam and the points of difference among them have been carefully analysed. The work may serve as a guide for further research.