MUSLIMS ARE THE followers of Muhammad. He died in 632 in the city of Medina, where he had been the leader of the Islamic community. The religion that he founded views the problem of the human condition to be one of ignorance. Therefore, what people need is not a savior but guidance. It is guidance that enables people to walk on the path that leads to paradise. Guidance, he taught, was provided by Allah.

For Muslims, Muhammad is a prophet who received revelations from Allah. These were compiled into the Koran after his death by his successors. Muhammad said that the revelations in the Koran were revealed to him by an angel in a cave in Mecca. Later, he had more revelations in Mecca and then ...