What is Islam? (الإسلام)
Islam means "submission to the will of God." It is the world's fastest-growing religion, with nearly 2 billion followers — and a message that has remained unchanged for over 1,400 years.
The Short Answer
Islam is a monotheistic religion founded on one core belief: there is only one God (Allah), and Muhammad (ﷺ) is His final messenger. Muslims believe the Quran is the literal, unchanged word of God — revealed to Muhammad over 23 years (610–632 CE).
Islam is not a "new" religion. Muslims believe it is the same message that God sent to every prophet — from Adam, to Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus. Muhammad (ﷺ) was simply the last in a long line of prophets, and the Quran is the final, preserved revelation.
إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمُ
Innad-deena 'indAllaahil-Islaam
"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam."
What Does "Islam" Mean?
The word Islam (إسلام) comes from the Arabic root س-ل-م (S-L-M), which carries the meanings of peace, submission, and surrender.
Islam means "voluntary submission to the will of God." A Muslim is "one who submits." The related word Salam (سلام) means "peace" — and Muslims greet each other with "As-Salamu Alaikum" (السلام عليكم) — "Peace be upon you."
This is why Muslims say that Islam is not named after a person or a place — it is named after its core concept: peaceful submission to the One God.
What Muslims Believe — Six Articles of Faith
1. One God (Allah)
Allah is the Arabic word for "The God" — the same God worshipped by Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. He has no partners, no children, no equals. He is the Creator of everything.
2. Angels
Created from light, angels carry out Allah's commands. Jibreel (Gabriel) delivered the Quran to Muhammad. Every person has angels recording their deeds.
3. Holy Books
Muslims believe in ALL divine scriptures: the Torah (Tawrat), Psalms (Zabur), Gospel (Injeel), and Quran. The Quran is the final revelation, preserved word-for-word.
4. Prophets
From Adam to Muhammad — over 124,000 prophets were sent to every nation. Muslims honor them all: Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad (ﷺ) as the final messenger.
5. Day of Judgment
Every person will be resurrected and held accountable for their actions. Paradise (Jannah) awaits those who believed and did good; Hellfire (Jahannam) for those who rejected the truth.
6. Divine Decree (Qadr)
Everything happens by Allah's knowledge and will. This doesn't remove free will — humans choose their actions, but Allah knows what they will choose before they do.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Shahada
الشهادةAsh-ShahaadahThe declaration of faith: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." This single statement is the doorway to Islam. It is said with sincere belief to become Muslim.
Salah
الصلاةAs-SalaahFive daily prayers performed at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and night. Salah is a direct conversation with Allah — no priest, no intermediary. It structures the Muslim's day around remembrance of God.
Zakat
الزكاةAz-ZakaahGiving 2.5% of your saved wealth to the poor and needy each year. Zakat purifies your wealth and ensures that no Muslim goes hungry. It is an obligation, not optional charity.
Sawm
الصومAs-SawmFasting during the month of Ramadan — no food, drink, or intimacy from dawn to sunset. Fasting teaches self-discipline, empathy for the hungry, and gratitude for Allah's blessings.
Hajj
الحجAl-HajjThe pilgrimage to Mecca, performed at least once in a lifetime if physically and financially able. Millions of Muslims from every race and nation stand side by side in white — a preview of the Day of Judgment.
The Quran — The Holy Book of Islam
The Quran (القرآن) is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe it is the literal word of God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) over a period of 23 years.
Unlike other religious texts, the Quran has been preserved in its original Arabic — letter by letter, word by word — since the 7th century. Over 10 million Muslims alive today have memorized the entire Quran from cover to cover. Even if every written copy were destroyed, the Quran would survive intact from memory alone.
It contains 114 chapters (surahs) and 6,236 verses covering theology, law, ethics, stories of past prophets, guidance for daily life, and descriptions of the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and Hellfire.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
Innaa Nahnu nazzalnadh-Dhikra wa innaa lahoo lahaafizoon
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran, and indeed, We will be its guardian."
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)
Muhammad ibn Abdullah (ﷺ) was born in Mecca in 570 CE. Known as "Al-Amin" (the trustworthy) even before prophethood, he received the first Quranic revelation at age 40 in the Cave of Hira.
Over 23 years, he transformed the Arabian Peninsula from a society of tribal warfare, female infanticide, and idol worship into a civilization built on monotheism, justice, and brotherhood. Within a century of his death, the message of Islam had spread from Spain to China.
Muslims do not worship Muhammad — he was a human being, a servant of God. But they honor him as the finest example of how to live. His sayings (Hadith) and actions (Sunnah) are the second source of guidance after the Quran.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةًۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Wa maa arsalnaaka illaa rahmatal lil'aalameen
"And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds."
Islam and Other Religions
Islam does not see itself as a rival to Judaism and Christianity — but as their completion. Muslims believe that Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad all taught the same core message: worship one God alone.
The Quran calls Jews and Christians "People of the Book" (Ahl al-Kitab) and gives them a special status. Muslims believe the Torah and Gospel were originally divine revelations — but that over time, their texts were altered by human hands. The Quran came as the final, preserved revelation to confirm what came before and correct what was changed.
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Qooloo aamannaa billaahi wa maa unzila ilainaa wa maa unzila ilaa Ibraaheema wa Ismaa'eela wa Ishaaqa wa Ya'qooba wal Asbaati wa maa ootiya Moosaa wa 'Eesaa wa maa ootiyan nabiyyoona mir Rabbihim laa nufarriqu baina ahadim minhum wa nahnu lahoo muslimoon
"Say: We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him."
Common Misconceptions
"Muslims worship Muhammad"
Muslims worship God (Allah) alone. Muhammad (ﷺ) is honored as the final prophet, but worshipping any human — even a prophet — is strictly forbidden in Islam.
"Allah is a different God"
Allah is simply the Arabic word for "The God." Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use the word "Allah" to refer to God. It is the same God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
"Islam was spread by the sword"
The Quran explicitly states: "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256). Islam spread primarily through trade, scholarship, and the appeal of its message. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, was never conquered by a Muslim army.
"Islam oppresses women"
Islam gave women the right to own property, inherit, divorce, and vote 1,400 years ago — rights that Western women didn't gain until the 19th-20th century. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The best of you are those who are best to their wives."