In the history of world religions, when and where is Islam generally considered to have been founded?

Introduction / Context:
World history and comparative religion frequently ask about the origins of major faiths, including where and when they were founded. Islam is one of the largest religions in the world and its beginnings are closely tied to specific events and places in the early seventh century. Knowing the approximate time period and geographical location of its emergence is a basic but important part of general knowledge. This question checks whether you can correctly recall that information without confusing it with the origins of other religions or later Islamic empires.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The religion in question is Islam.
• The options provide different centuries and locations, including Jerusalem, Mecca, Persia and Baghdad.
• The task is to identify the combination that matches standard historical accounts of Islamic origins.
• We assume a general understanding of the early medieval period and the geography of the Arabian Peninsula.

Concept / Approach:
Islam is generally understood to have begun in the early seventh century CE, when the Prophet Muhammad received revelations near Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula. These revelations were later compiled in the Quran. The early community formed in Mecca and then migrated to Medina, marking the beginning of the Islamic era. This timeline and location differentiate Islam from other monotheistic religions such as Judaism and Christianity, which developed earlier in regions around Jerusalem, and from later Islamic empires based in cities like Baghdad. The correct approach is to connect Islam with the early seventh century in Mecca and its surrounding areas.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question asks about both time and place for the founding of Islam. Step 2: Recall that Muhammad, considered the Prophet in Islam, lived in the early seventh century CE. Step 3: Remember that he began preaching in Mecca, a city on the Arabian Peninsula that was a trading and religious centre. Step 4: Note that the year of the migration from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra, marks the start of the Islamic calendar and confirms this early seventh century setting. Step 5: Choose the option that matches both the early seventh century date and the location in and around Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Standard world history and religious studies textbooks consistently state that Islam originated in the Arabian Peninsula during the life of Muhammad in the early 600s CE. They describe Mecca as his birthplace and the site of the Kaaba, and Medina as the city that welcomed the early Muslim community. None of these sources place the founding of Islam in the first century CE in Jerusalem, which is more associated with early Christianity, or in the fifth century BCE in Persia, which is connected to Zoroastrianism. Baghdad later became a major political and intellectual centre of the Islamic world but not the original birthplace of the religion. These comparisons verify the correct time and place.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The option that mentions the first century CE and Jerusalem confuses Islam with the earlier development of Christianity and Judaism. The fifth century BCE in Persia is more suitable for discussions of Zoroastrianism and the Achaemenid Empire, not Islam. The tenth century CE in Baghdad refers to a period when Islamic civilisation had already spread widely and was experiencing a flourishing of culture, not a founding moment. These options therefore mix up different religions and historical stages, making them incorrect for this question.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to associate all Abrahamic religions too closely with Jerusalem and to forget the distinct role of Mecca and Medina in Islamic origins. Another pitfall is to think of Islam mainly in terms of later caliphates and cities like Baghdad or Damascus, and to place its founding too late in time. To avoid confusion, always tie Islam to the early seventh century and to the cities of Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula. Keeping a simple timeline of the approximate founding periods of major world religions can also be very helpful.

Final Answer:
Islam is generally considered to have been founded in the early seventh century CE in and around the city of Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula, so that option is correct.