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Islam is regarded as one of the three central Abrahamic faiths along with Judaism and Christianity. Islam's followers are Muslims, or those who "submit" to God's will. Islam is a universal religion that teaches that God is merciful and compassionate, and that promises the faithful worldly peace and equality and entrance to a sublime eternity.The Quran is the sacred book of Islam, and is believed to be a collection of the direct "recitations" of Allah, or God, as received by the prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632 AD). Muslims do not regard Muhammad as divine with God, but as the last in a line of prophets. In fact, the most fundamental Muslim belief is that there is no other god besides God and no division within the divine Godhead. The Christian Trinity therefore remains problematic for many Muslims. Recognizing them as sacred, the Quran bears some overlap to the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, yet differs on certain facts: one in particular is the blessing and role given to Ishmael rather than Isaac in Islamic tradition. And while Muslims view the Old Testament prophets and Jesus as true prophets, they believe that the revelation Muhammad received perfects the Abrahamic prophetic tradition. Accordingly, Muslims hold the life and teachings of the prophet Muhammad in highest esteem and believe faith requires discipleship to his example. Even so, it is a mistake to regard Muslims as ́Muhammadans' in the same sense that Christians believe faith is mediated and accessible only through Jesus Christ.The life and teachings of Muhammad and the story of early Islam are revealed in the Hadith, which are collections of sayings about the Prophet that have been handed down through generations by skilled and trusted oral historians. These chains of religious transmission vary however, and thus have been disputed frequently among different schools of Islamic law and theology. While generally in agreement about the Quran, various sects of Islam diverge largely over the authenticity or i