Islam

What is Islam?

Islam is the religion revealed by Allah as the way of life for all humanity, sealed by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its name comes from the Arabic root S-L-M, carrying the twin meanings of submission to Allah and the peace and wholeness that result. A Muslim is a person who has surrendered his life to Allah; and Islam, in the Quran, is affirmed as the religion of every prophet before Muhammad ﷺ.

Its Definition in the Sunnah

The most authoritative definition of Islam is given by the Prophet ﷺ himself in the Hadith of Jibril: "Islam is that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, pay the zakat, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House if you are able" (Bukhari 50, Muslim 8). These are the five pillars — the visible structure of a Muslim life.

Islam as the Religion of All Prophets

The Quran affirms that Islam — submission to the one God — was the religion of every prophet. Allah says: "Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam..." (Quran 3:19). And: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him..." (Quran 3:85). Ibrahim (Abraham) is described as one who submitted to Allah — a Muslim in the deepest sense (Quran 2:131-132). The apostles of Isa (Jesus) said: "...bear witness that we are Muslims" (Quran 3:52). Islam is the eternal message; what changed with time were the specific laws.

The Three Levels of the Religion

The same Hadith of Jibril arranges the religion in three ascending levels:

• Islam — the outward practice: the five pillars.
• Iman — the inward belief: the six articles of faith.
• Ihsan — the spiritual excellence of worshipping Allah as if you see Him.

Islam without iman is form without faith; iman without ihsan is faith without beauty. The three together are the whole of the din.

The Universal Call

Allah addressed the Prophet ﷺ: "We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds" (Quran 21:107). And: "Say: O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all..." (Quran 7:158). Islam is not one people's religion; it is the truth of the one Creator addressed to every human being.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to become a Muslim?

To testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah — the shahada. With sincere testimony and belief, the person enters Islam; past sins are wiped out, and the door of a new life with Allah opens. The five pillars are then the shape of that life.

Are Judaism and Christianity considered Islam in a broader sense?

The Quran teaches that the original prophets of the Jews and Christians — Musa, Isa, and others — were Muslims in the sense of submitting to Allah alone. Their communities, however, later diverged from that pure message. The Quran calls all people back to the original submission preserved in Islam as taught by Muhammad ﷺ.