What is Islam?
General
A Complete Way of Life
The fastest growing religion in the world and the most misunderstood religion in the world,
contradictory, but true! Islam, the religion of over 1.6 billion people, at least one in every
five persons on this Earth is a Muslim.
What is Islam?
In Arabic, the word
‘Islam’ translates to submission
or surrender; Muslims submit or
surrender to the will of God. The
root word from which the word
‘Islam’ is derived, is also the root
word for ‘Salaam’ meaning Peace,
a peace that can only be attained
through the obedience of the
commands of the Creator.
Islam teaches that God
is the source of all creation and
that human beings are the best of
His creation. He communicates by
inspiring them towards goodness
and by sending Prophets who
deliver His message.
God in His infinite
mercy had sent messengers to
convey His message, to different
peoples, in different times. Each
prophet came with guidance and
miracles that were relevant for his
time, and for his people, but the
message was ALWAYS the same:
That there is only one God, and
worship is for Him alone. Islam
was the religion brought by all
the prophets of God and was the
religion of Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Moses and Jesus (peace be upon
them all).
“Do they seek other than the Religion
of Allah?-while all creatures in the
heavens and on earth have, willingly
or unwillingly, bowed to His Will
(Accepted Islam), and to Him shall
they all be brought back.
Say: “We believe in Allah, and in what
has been revealed to us and what
was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael,
Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in
(the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and
the prophets, from their Lord: We
make no distinction between one and
another among them, and to Allah
do we surrender (in Islam).”(Quran
3:83-84)
Prophets after prophets
came to reclaim lost humanity.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
came with the seal that perfected
Islam. His message contains the
teachings of all the previous
messengers, and in addition it
contains what will be necessary
until the day of Judgement.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was
sent for all mankind, thus there
will be no other messenger after
him.
“Nothing is said to you, [O
Muhammad], except what was already
said to the messengers before you.
Indeed, your Lord is a possessor of
forgiveness and a possessor of painful
penalty.”(Quran 41:43)
“Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind,
indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to
you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion
of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity
except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So
believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered
prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and
follow him that you may be guided.”(Quran 7:158)
Teachings of Islam
Islam teaches that human beings are
born pure and sinless. No one is responsible
for, or can take responsibility for the sins of
others. The doors of forgiveness are always
open for those who repent sincerely.
“But those who committed evil deeds and then
repented afterwards and believed, verily, your
Lord after (all) that is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.” (Quran 7:153)
“Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic
Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those,
Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and
Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran
25:70)
“But as for him who repented (from polytheism
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Ihsaan | Issue 1 | 9