WHAT IS ISLAM?
Islam is the largest and fastest growing faith in the world. The word “Islam” is an Arabic word that means “peace, purity, submission and obedience to the will of Allah.” The word Islam comes from the Arabic root word sa-la-ma, which means peace.S (س)- L (ل)- M (م)
WHAT IS ISLAM?
Islam is the largest and fastest growing faith in the world. The word “Islam” is an Arabic word that means “peace, purity, submission and obedience to the will of Allah.” The word Islam comes from the Arabic root word sa-la-ma, which means peace.
So, the complete meaning of Islam is attaining a state of peace by submitting oneself to the will Allah; and by definition, one who does this is called a “Muslim” (which also comes from the root word sa-la-ma), meaning someone who has submitted to the will of Allah.
Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islam was revealed by Allah and carries a deep spiritual meaning – only by submitting one’s will to Him can one truly achieve peace, both in this life and the hereafter. Islam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message – to believe in One True God and to worship Him and Him alone. Thus, Islam is not a new religion, but in fact it is the same divinely revealed ultimate truth that Allah revealed to all His prophets.
Allah says, “Say [O Muslims]: We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrāhīm, Ismāʿīl, Isḥāq, Yaʿqūb, and to al-Asbaat [the offspring of the sons of Yaʿqūb], and that which has been given to Mūsā, and ‘Isā, and that which has been given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.” [Quran 2:136]
Each Prophet had the same message: Allah says, “And We did not send any Messenger before you [O Muhammad] but We revealed to him (saying): none has the right to be worshiped but I, so worship Me [alone and none else].” [Quran 21:25]
Islam is the religion of Allah since the beginning of time – from Adam till the Day of Judgment.
“Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.” [Quran 3:19]
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What is the Essence of Islam?
Prophet Muhammad mentioned in a narrative the best summary of the core of Islam as follows:
“Submission means that you should bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God’s messenger, that you should perform the ritual prayer, pay the alms tax, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to go there.”
“Faith means that you have faith in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you have faith in the measuring out, both its good and its evil.”
“Doing what is beautiful means that you should worship God as if you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you.”
“Lo! men who surrender unto Allah, and women who surrender, and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth, and men who persevere (in righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard (their modesty), and men who remember Allah much and women who remember–Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward”