What Is Islam?

The Arabic word "Islam" means peace, submission and obedience. The religion of Islam is the complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of God as revealed to His Prophet Muhammad.

A Muslim is one who believes in God and strives for total reorganization of his life according to His revealed guidance and the sayings of His Prophet. He also works for building human society on the same basis. "Muhammadanism" is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit.

The word 'Allah' is the proper name of God in Arabic. It is a unique term because it has no plural form or feminine gender.

Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all Prophets:

"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 bow our will (in Islam)" (Qur'an 3:84).

The message which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad is Islam in its comprehensive, complete and final form.