The Islam Religion

We know that Islam is the second largest religion in the world. But do you really know what is Islam?
The word "Islam" itself means "Submission to Allah." Similarly, Islam is not named after a tribe like "Judaism" after the tribe of Judah and "Hinduism" after the Hindus. The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the will of the only true god worthy of worship, "Allah" (known as God "the Father" in Christianity). There are three main components of Islam which are Iman(faith), Islam(this word here means rituals of worship), and Ihsan(sincerity)


1.)
Ramadan-is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to the solar calendar the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year as it is a moving holiday depending on the moon. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an,were said to be revealed to the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

Hajj- is a pilgrimage in mecca. It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah in the Arabic language).The pilgrimage occurs from the 7th to 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a Lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year. In 2007, the Hajj was from December 17–21; in 2008 from December 6–10, and in 2009 it was from November 25–29. Ihram is the name given to the special state in which Muslims live whilst on the pilgrimage.
According to the Wikipedia.org

2.) What are the major concepts in Islam, such as the five pillars of faith and major religious events?
The Five pillars of faith of Islam are:

(1) To bear witness that there is no entity worthy of worship except Allah(God) alone, and that Muhammad (pbuh) was His messenger. This establishes obedience to God Almighty alone.

(2) To perform five prescribed prayers to God every day according to a specific prescribed method and at specific prescribed times. This continually reminds us to bear God in mind in all actions, either before or after any given prayer.

(3) To pay two and a half percent (2.5%) of ones wealth to charity every year if their savings exceed a certain minimum level which is considered above the poverty level. (This is the basic concept, the actual calculation is a little more complex).

(4) To fast the month of Ramadhan (from the Islamic Lunar calendar) every year from sun rise until sunset. This involves not eating, drinking, or having marital relations, from sun rise until sun set.

(5) To perform a pilgrimage to Makkah (in the Arabian Peninsula) once in a Muslim's lifetime if it is financially possible and their health permits. During this period, Muslims come from all over the world to join together for six days in a prescribed set of acts of worship. All Muslim men are mandated to wear the same garment which was designed to be very plain, simple, and cheap to obtain.

3. What are the major religious event?

Muharram (1 Muharram)
The Islamic New Year

The month of Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic liturgical year. The Islamic year begins on the first day of Muharram, and is counted from the year of the Hegira (anno Hegirae) the year in which Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina(A.D. July 16, 622).

The Islamic new year is celebrated relatively quietly, with prayers and readings and reflection upon the hegira.

Mawlid al-Nabi (12 Rabi 1)
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday

This holiday celebrates the birthday of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. It is fixed as the 12th day of the month of Rabi I in the Islamic calendar. Mawlidmeans birthday of a holy figure and al-Nabi means prophet.

The day is commemorated with recollections of Muhammad's life and significance. Fundamentalist Muslims, such as the Wahhabi sect, do not celebrate it.

Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal)
The Celebration concluding Ramadan

Ramadan, the month of fasting, ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr. Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (Eid al-Adha is the other). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family.

A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques.

Eid al-Adha (10 Dhu'l-Hijjah)
The celebration concluding the Hajj

Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, commemorates the prophet Abraham's willingness to obey Allah by sacrificing his son Ishmael. According to the Qur'an, just before Abraham sacrificed his son, Allah replaced Ishmael with a ram, thus sparing his life.

According to the infoplease.com

But my uncle said that Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr are only the 2 major religious events of Islam.