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"Islam"
means "submitting or surrendering one's will to the will of
Allah".
Mankind naturally submits to Allah; this instinct was born with
him on the day of his creation. In reality, the entire universe
- the stars, the planets, the oceans - submits to the will of
Allah through its ordered workings. Modern science calls this
phenomenon "the laws of nature," but these laws of nature, from
an Islamic perspective, are not just any laws of nature but the
laws of Allah for nature. Human beings, as creatures of Allah
who are in need of Him throughout their entire lives, must also
surrender their wills and desires to the will of the Almighty,
the Creator.
Submitting to Allah does not mean humiliating the individual
self or denying the human intellect; rather, it means trusting
in the knowledge, wisdom, and fairness of the Creator. People
voluntarily give over their lives to others almost every day;
for example, passengers embarking on an airplane place their
lives in the hands of the pilot because of the pilot's
knowledge, experience, and assumed goodwill. Similarly, friends
trust friends, and if a wise, knowledgeable, rational, and
good-intentioned friend invites another to go into the middle of
the desert in the middle of a dark night, that person would
follow because he knows that his friend would not endanger his
life. The decision to trust a person with more knowledge is
logical, and so people do not abandon their own intellects by
trusting in the wisdom of God.
"lslam" has other meanings, one of which is "to have peace."
Allah has said in the Holy Qur'an:
"He is Allah - there is no God but Him - the King, the Holy
One, and the Peace."
(59:23)
"And
Allah invites to the abode of peace." (10:25)
By its connotations of peace and safety, ''Islam" indicates
that the religion of Islam is free from any deficiencies or
defects. As a religion, Islam is perfect because it was ordained
by Allah and not invented by humankind.
Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was the first person whom
God commanded to use the words "Islam" and "Muslim"
"It [Islamic monotheism] is the religion of your father
Abraham. He [Allah] has named you Muslims both before and in
this [Qur'an]." (22:78)
"Abraham was
neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim
(submissive to Allah) and was not one of the polytheists."
(3:67).
Not only
Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) but also all the sincere,
truthful people after him called their religion "Islam." Prophet
Joseph (peace be upon him) says in the chapter of the Qur'an
named "Joseph":
"My Lord! You have given me authority and
taught me the interpretation of things. O Creator of the
heavens and earth! You are my guardian in this world and in the
Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, submitting to Your will,
and join me with the righteous". (12: 101)
Thus Allah
declares in the Qur'an:
"Truly the
religion before Allah is Islam." (3:19)
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From the Arabic verb of aslama
"Muslim" refers to a follower of the religion of Islam
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