Submission to Allah
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 Almighty God”. 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 of Almighty God (Allah or The One); 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 Almighty God (a believer).
Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islam was revealed by Almighty God and carries a deep spiritual meaning – only by submitting one’s will to Almighty God 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 Almighty God revealed to all His prophets:
Adam, Idris (Enoch), Nuh (Noah), Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Lut (Lot), Ya’qub (Jacob), Yousef (Joseph), Shu’aib, Ayyub (Job), Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Dhu’l-kifl (Ezekiel), Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ilias (Elias), Al-Yasa (Elisha), Yunus (Jonah), Zakariyya (Zachariah), Yahya (John), ‘Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad (pbuh), all were prophets of Islam mentioned in the Qur’aan and by Muhammad (pbuh).
“Say (O Muslims): ‘We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya’qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus), 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 (in Islam)’.”
[Qur’aan 2:136]
Each Prophet had the same message:
“And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshiped but I (Allah)), so worship Me (Alone and none else).” [Qur’aan 21:25]
Islam is the religion of Almighty God since the beginning of time – from Adam and Eve ’til the Day of Judgment.
“Truly, the religion with Allah (God) is Islam…” [Qur’aan 3:19]
