ISLAM - BASIC TERMS AND MEANINGS

What is Islam? The Arabic word ‘ Islam’ stands for ‘Submission’ or ‘Peace’. In a religious context, it implies the peace that reaches out to one when one completely submits oneself to the will of Almighty God. This is achieved only when the individual acts in accordance with the direction of his Creator in all spheres of life.

Who is the founder of Islam? The Almighty God who created the universe, endowed man with a special gift of intelligence and thought, to enable him to discriminate between good and bad. Man has also been given, the freedom to choose his own path by either accepting or rejecting the instructions of the Almighty Creator. The divine revelations were conveyed by God to mankind through numerous prophets who preached the ideals to all communities during different periods of human history. The thousands of prophets whom God selected for human guidance have promulgated the basic doctrine with remarkable similarity. The belief in and the profound reverence for all messengers and revealed scriptures from God forms an integral part of Islamic faith. Islam is not a religion founded by Prophet Mohammed, (Peace Be Upon Him). The Qur’an has most emphatically corroborated the fact that the Islamic conception of life was revealed to man by a long chain of prophets chosen by the Almighty Creator.

Who is Muslim? The word ‘Muslim’ means one who has submitted oneself to the Omnipotent Creator. A true Muslim is one who has disciplined his life in accordance with the instructions conveyed by God through His messengers. A person becomes a Muslim not by birth alone, but by his faith and deeds.

How can one be a Muslim? "I testify that there is none who deserves to be worshipped but Allah. I testify that Mohammed is the messenger of Allah". By taking this solemn oath sincerely and endeavoring to regulate one’s life following the instructions conveyed by Allah through his messengers, one becomes a true Muslim. By declaring that there is none worthy of worship save Allah, and that Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah, the believer announces his or her faith in God’s oneness, His sole right to be worshipped and that Muhammed is the last of the prophets. It also confirms his or her belief in all prophets and the scriptures they brought.

Why does Islam seem to be strict? No prophet taught that religion is to be confined within the walls of places of worship. On the contrary, Muslims are expected to follow the instructions of Almighty Allah in the course of all their activities in life. The word ‘Muslim’ means ‘one who has submitted his self to the will of Allah’, and for the same reason a true Muslim cannot compromise on anything that stands in the way of guiding his life according to divine strictures. The view that consciousness of God is to be confined only to the place of worship is alien to Islam. Muslims always have religion foremost in their minds whereas many others consider religion as irrelevant in the present age.

ISLAMIC BELIEFS "O people! Worship your Guardian Lord, Who created you and those who came before you that you may become righteous. Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith fruits for your sustenance; Then set not up rivals unto Allah when you know (the truth)." Holy Qur’an 2:21, 22 What are the Islamic beliefs? Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, in the angels created by Him, in the revealed Scriptures, in the prophets through whom His revelations were made to mankind, in the Day of Judgement and life after death, individual accountability for actions, and in God’s complete authority over human destiny.

What does faith in ‘One God’ mean? Allah, the Creator and Protector of all beings in the universe, big and small, in His essence His goodness and his deeds, remains alone and unique. One offers worship only to Him, who is Almighty, higher than everyone else and Himself being perfect in everything. By monotheism, Islam implies, not the mere belief that there is just one God, but it power the way for prayers and offerings to the one who is all Merciful and Omniscient.

Who is Allah? The Arabic word ‘Allah’ is the shortened form of ‘al-ilah’, ‘The God, the one and only God, the first, the last, the eternal, the hidden, the manifest, the ultimate reality’. Even non-Muslim Arabs use the term ‘Allah’ when they speak of God. The basic creed of Islam is this simple formula: ‘There is no God but Allah’ (‘La ilaha illallah’). The Arabic term ‘Allah’ denoting God, is unique in many ways. It has no plural like ‘gods’; it has no gender like ‘godess’; nor does this word generate a visual image of any kind. "Allah", He is God, the One true God, He is the one who deserves all worship and there is nothing comparable to him. Nevertheless, ninety-nine different attributes of Allah are named in the Qur’an.