By the time Muhammad died, he had united many people in the Arabian Peninsula, which is present day Saudi Arabia. It is said that Muhammad met Archangel Gabriel again at the end of his life. The angel led the Prophet to a

mysterious animal called a burag. This event is called the Night Journey. Muslims all over the world celebrate this event.

Depicted in the picture in the right is Muhammad ascending to

the heavens on the burag. The animal appears to have a human face, angel wings, and a horse’s

body.

Muhammad and the Burag

The Five Pillars of Islam

Muslims believe in the Arkan-ul-Islam, the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims

must do these five things. The first is Shahadah, or a declaration of faith. A Muslim says, "There is no god except Allah, and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The second pillar, Salaat,

means that Muslims must pray five times a day. Zakaat is the third pillar,

and it means to give to the poor. Muslims fast during the month of

Ramadan, which is the fourth pillar. The last pillar is Haj, a pilgrimage to

Mecca.Above is a picture of a supplicating pilgrim at Masjid Al Haram. Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Archangel Gabriel

Above is a depiction of Archangel Gabriel.

Archangel Gabriel is an angel who is thought to serve as a messenger from God. He exists in multiple religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In Islam, he is the medium through which God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad. He also appeared to Muhammad at the end of his life, and the event called the Night Journey was said to have taken place.