The Meaning of Islam

The Meaning of Islam

The word Islam is derived from Arabic root “SLM” which means, among other things, peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense the word Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to his law. The connection between the original and the religious meanings of the word is strong and obvious. Only through submission to the will of God and by obedience to his law can one achieve true peace and enjoy lasting purity.

Same outsiders call our religion “mohammedanism” and address the believers in Islam as “mohammedans”. The muslims both reject and protest the use of these word. If our faith is classified as mohammedanism and if we are called mohammedans , there will be seriously wrong implications. This misnomer implies that the religion takes it’s name after a mortal being, namely, Muhammad and that Islam no more than another “ism” just like Judaism, Hinduism, Marxism, etc.

Another wrong implication of this misnomer is that outsiders might think of the muslims, whom they called muhammedans, as worshipped to Muhammad or as believers in him as the same way as Christians, for example, believe in Jesus. A further wrong implication is that the word muhammedanism may mislead the outsiders and make him think that the religion was founded by Muhammad and therefore takes its name after the founder. All tese implication are seriously wrong or at best misleading.

Islam is not just another “ism”. Nor do Muslims worship Muhammad or look upon him the same way as Christians, Jews, Hindus, Marxists, etc., look upon their respective leaders. The Muslims worship God alone. Muhammad was only a mortal being commissioned by God to teach the word of God and lead an exemplary life. He stands in history as the best model for man in piety and perfection. He is living proof of what man can be and of what he can accomplish in the realm of excellence and virtue. Moreover, the Muslims not believe that Islam was founded by Muhammad, although it was restored by him in the last stage of religious evolution. The original founder of Islam is no other but God Himself, and the date of the founding of Islam goes back to the age of Adam. Islam has existed in one form or another all along from the beginning will continue to exist till the end of time.

The true name of religion, then, is Islam and those who follow it are Muslims. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Islam or submission to the will of God, together with obedience to His law, does not mean in any way lost of individual freedom or surrender to fatalism. Anyone who thinks or believes so has certainly failed to understand the meaning of Islam and the concept of God in Islam. The concept of God is Islam describes him as the Most Merciful and Gracious, and the Most Loving and most concerned with the well-being of man, and as Full of Wisdom and care for His creatures. His Will, accordingly, is a will of benevolence and Goodness, and whatever Law He promised must be in the best interest of mankind.

When the civilized people abide by the laws of their countries, they are considered sound citizens and honest members of their respective societies. No responsible person would say that such people lost their freedom by their obedience to the law. No rational being would think or believe for a moment that such law-abiding people are fatalists and helpless. Similarly, the persons who submits to the Will of God, which is a good will, and obey the laws of God which is the best law, is sound and honest person. He is gaining protection of his right, showing genuine respect for the right of others, and enjoying a high degree of responsible, creative freedom. Submission to the good will of God, therefore, does not take him away or curtail individual freedom. On the contrary, it gives freedom of a high degree in abundant measure. It frees the mind from superstitions and fills it with truth. It frees the soul from sin and wrong and quickness it with goodness and purity. It frees the self from vanity and greed, from envy and tension, from fear and insecurity. It frees man from subjugation to false deities and low desires, and unfolds before him the beautiful horizons of goodness and excellence.