In the seventh century A.D. a new religion took shape. This new religion would grow into one of the world's largest, with some half-billion followers. The religion is named Islam. Islam is the Arabic word for "surrender." A follower of Islam is meant to "surrender to the will of God." The birthplace of Islam was in the Arabian Peninsula. This article describes the setting of this ancient world in detail and the art that came about during this time period. Also included are a list of related questions to consider.