THE WORD ROOT
The root of the word “Islam,” means “submission (to God).” Therefore, we should describe “Islam” as the name for “the lifestyle in which people voluntarily and unconditionally submit to God’s rulings.” In Arabic, someone who submits to God is called a “muslim.”
THE DEFINITION OF MUSLIM
According to the Qur’an, all prophets -from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them)- submitted to God.
“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was an upright person who submitted to God. “ (Al-e Imran 3:67)
“Do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants were Jews or Christians? Say (to them): “Do you know better, or does God?” Who is more wrong-doing than he who conceals a truth which has been shown to him by God? God is never heedless of what you are doing.” (Al-Baqarah 2:140)
From the information above we can conclude that Islam (submission to God) is the only religion that God has ever established on earth. This is confirmed in the Quran:
“The religion in the sight of God is submission to God (Islam).” (Al-e Imran 3:19)
That means since the creation of humankind, all believers who have lived by God’s laws have ever been Muslims. Notably, the words “believer” and “those who believe” are mentioned in the Quran at least seven times more than the word Muslim.
THE DEFINITION OF RELIGION
God describes the religion as “the fitrah – natural order” in the Quran:
“So set your face duly and steadily to this religion, the natural order (fitra) set by God. He has created humankind in compliance with it. There is nothing to substitute for what God creates. That is the upright religion, but most people do not know.” (Ar-Rum 30:30)
So, anything that harms God’s creation, disrupts the natural order or contradicts human nature also opposes the principles of religion. Oppression, injustice (16:90), modifying genetics, and deteriorating the environment (2:205) are just a few examples.
God’s religion is like pure water that every human being needs and enjoys.
A MUSLIM IS FREE
A person who submits to God refrains from wrongdoing by following God’s rules and lives their life in the best possible way. This requires a subtle amount of effort but God promises in the Quran that He will rightly guide those who strive for God’s path (29:69). People who submit to God do their best to achieve good outcomes, and always place their trust in God (33:3) who ensures the best results (18:44). This leads to self-confidence, inner peace, and harmony with society. As a result of these efforts, believers fear nothing but God and do not grieve. God says about such people:
“Nay! Whoever submits themselves to God while they are in a kind manner, their reward resides in the presence of their Master. They neither fear nor grieve.” (al-Baqarah 2:112)
Such people attain true freedom because they prioritize God’s commands over their own desires and the expectations of others, thereby liberating themselves from the constraints of worldly authority. That is the zenith of freedom in this world and will surely lead to eternal salvation.
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