Islam

﷽

Lexical Meaning of Islam

If you refer to Arabic language dictionaries, you will find that the meaning of the word Islam is:

submission , humbling oneself, and obeying commands and heeding prohibitions without objection, sincerely worshipping Allah alone, believing what He tells us and having faith in Him.

The word Islam has become the name of the religion which was brought by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Why this religion is called Islam?

All the religions on earth are called by various names, either the name of a specific man or a specific nation. So Christianity takes its name from Christ; Buddhism takes its name from its founder, the Buddha; the Zoroastrians became well known by this name because their founder and standard-bearer was Zoroaster. Similarly, Judaism took its name from a tribe known as Yehudah (Judah), so it became known as Judaism. And so on.

Except for Islam ; for it is not attributed to any specific man or to any specific nation, rather its name refers to the meaning of the word Islam .

What this name indicates is that the establishment and founding of this religion was not the work of one particular man and that it is not only for one particular nation to the exclusion of all others. Rather its aim is to give the attribute implied by the word Islam to all the peoples of the earth.

So everyone who acquires this attribute, whether he is from the past or the present, is a Muslim, and everyone who acquires this attribute in the future will also be a Muslim.

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The Arabic root word ‘Aslama‘ means to show submission and surrender to someone and obey his commands. Accordingly, Islam means surrender and submission to Allah’s Will by means of believing in His Oneness, being devoted to Him, obeying His commandments and abandoning what He has prohibited.

Such is Islam, about which Allah (Exalted be He) says:

(Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.)

Besides, a Muslims are thus called as they show complete submission to Allah and obey Him, abiding by His Commandments and refraining from what He has prohibited.

Islam is also a name for all the Commandments of Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), including Salah (Prayer), Sawm (fast), Zakah (obligatory charity), Hajj (pilgrimage), faith and so on. Such categories fall under Islam.

In this regard, Allah (Exalted be He) says:

(This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.)

He (Glorified be He) also says:

(And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers, )

Therefore, a Muslim is a person who submits himself to Allah (Exalted be He) as far as words, practical behavior and belief are concerned. In other words, Islam stands for total submission to and abidance by His Commandments in all aspects of life.