It is indeed my responsibility
being a Muslim to share with you what is the meaning of Islam. A lot of people have misconceptions about
it. But sharing with you its connotation
probably will give proper insights, enlightenment and bring harmony and peace
towards these misconceptions. Some
important Arabic terms with their corresponding English translations will be
used for the readers’ information and
guidance like: salam, Jannah, hadith, and taghoot.
The word Islam means submission
to Allah the Almighty, the Creator and Lord of all creation, with the entire
soul and body, by obedience to what He commanded and prohibited in His Revealed
Law, by compliance and willful yielding of one’s will to His Will and
Judgments, and by acceptance of all that Allah has predestined for man on
earth. Allah is the Most Beneficent and Merciful who knows all man’s rightful
needs, who enjoins all that is good and warns against all that is evil. Thus
His revealed Law is perfectly suited to the universal needs, rights and
responsibilities of man.
The Almighty Allah states in the
Glorious Qur’an in relation to Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) :
(Behold! His Lord
said to him: Submit. He said: I submit to the Lord and Cherisher of the
Universe.) (2:131)
The word “Salam” means
“Peace" and is derived from the same Arabic three-letter root SLM
as the word Islam. “Salam” is one of the attributes of Allah, blessed be His
Names and Attributes and Exalted His Majesty, as the Qur’an states:
(Allah is He,
there is no other god except Him; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of
Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the
Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory is to Allah! High is He
above the partners they attribute to Him.) (59:23)
"Salam" is also one of
the names of Jannah (Paradise). The Almighty
Allah states in the Glorious Qur'an:
(For them will be
a Home of Peace with their Lord. He will be their Friend, because they
practiced righteousness.) (6:127)
The inhabitants of Paradise will greet each other with "Salam” when
they meet their Lord, Allah as he mentioned:
(Their salutation
on the Day they meet Him will be “Peace” and He has prepared for them a
generous Reward.)
(35:44)
Muslims exchange the purified and
noble greetings “As-Salamu Alaikum” (Peace be upon you) when they meet, when
they pass by one another, when they call one another. Even when a Muslim enters
his own home and finds no one there, he says as-Salamu Alaikum since he offers
this greeting upon the angels who are present in that place and upon himself.
This form of greeting helps to relieve the hearts from all forms of enmity and
grudges and rancor people may keep within them, replacing it with good will,
mutual respect, tranquility, security and happiness. Often Muslims greet one
another by saying the fuller version, which has been taught by the Prophet of
Allah: 'As-Salamu Alaikum wa rahmatul'laah' i.e. “May Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon you, and His Mercy.”
In the Prophetic traditions
(hadith) we find the words of the Messenger of Allah which make the spreading of this greeting from among the traits of the
perfection of faith:
“You would not enter Paradise
until you acquire full faith, and you would not acquire full faith until you
love one another. Should not I guide you to an action which if you establish
among one another, you would love one another? Spread the greeting of “Salaam”
(Peace) as much as you can amongst yourselves (in the community).” (Muslim)
And the Messenger
of Allah
said:
“Offer food generously to others; initiate the
greeting of “peace” amongst yourselves to those whom you know and those whom
you do not know.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
The purpose of Islam is to
continually seek to please Allah, the Creator and Lord of the Universe, by
universal good and righteous deeds. Allah says in his Glorious Book, the
Qur’an:
(O People of the
Book! There has come to you Our Messenger revealing to you much that you used
to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There has
come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book by which Allah guides all who
seek His pleasure to ways of “salam” (peace and safety), leads them out of
darkness, by His Will, to the light, and guides them to a Path that is Straight.)
(5:15-16)
Islam comprises the complete
comprehensive meaning of peace that includes the inner personal and spiritual
peace and the outer social peace. As the Messenger of Allah (r)
said:
“A true Muslim is the person from whom other Muslims
feel secured against abuse and attacks from his tongue and hands, and a true
immigrant is a person who forsakes what Allah the Almighty has declared
unlawful.” (Bukhari &
Muslim)
Moreover, it includes the global
vision of general universal peace for all humanity, since its basic principles
include stability, mutual respect, and non-aggression to those who abide
peacefully to just terms, especially those who have the basic understanding of
a revealed religion from Allah as the basis of their civilization like the
Christians and Jews.
(O you who
believe! Enter into “as-Silm” (the peace of Islam by submission to Allah)
completely and whole-heartedly, and do not follow the footsteps of the Satan,
for he is indeed an avowed enemy to you.) (2:208)
The invitation of Islam, Allah’s universal religion,
is extended to all. Allah Most Exalted said in His Majestic Book:
(Say (O Muhammad) ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to
you all as the Messenger of Allah...) (7:158)
And He said:
(Truly the religion before Allah is Islam.) (3:19)
And He said:
(And Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it
will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the
losers.) (3:85)
Islam builds a
foundation for friendly relationships between men on the principles of public
and mutual interests of all the parties concerned. Never is there to be
any compulsion or force for the acceptance of Islam. Islam wishes well
for all regardless of color, creed, geographic location and nationality. Its
laws and principles promote universal modes of righteousness, benevolence and
justice. Muslims are commanded to love for the cause of Allah and hate for the
cause of Allah, and never for any other special interests, worldly desires or
whims. One does not love or hate the person per say, but loves the good and
hates the evil shown by the behavior of that person. Allah the Almighty states:
(Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away
from the ignorant.) (7:199)
Islam brings people
from the darkness of ignorance and injustice, to the true light of guidance and
justice. Allah the Wise and Sublime states:
(Allah is the Protector and Ally of those who have faith: He
leads them from the depths of darkness into the light. The disbelievers are the
patrons and allies of the taghoot (Satan, idols, tyrants): from light they lead
them into the depths of darkness. They will be Companions of the Fire to dwell
therein (forever).) (2:257)
Islam educates all
Muslims to be peaceful, forgiving, patient and caring. Islam seeks all means to
establish social justice in the society and protect the rights of all citizens
of the Islamic state and encompasses them all in its welfare system. Islam
exhorts upon Muslims to be good to others without expecting a favor rather
seeking the reward from Allah, their Lord Most Bountiful. Islam educates
Muslims to respect and honor the divine instructions and laws so that every
member in the society feels secure, safe and peaceful, except those who, by
their criminal activities, deserve to be punished with justice for
transgression. Islam educates Muslims to be selfless and to like for others as
they wish for themselves so that the entire society benefits: the old are to be
kind to the young and minor; the young are to be merciful, respectful and
helpful to the old; the rich to be generous to the poor; all should seek to aid
the needy. Islam aims for the ideal society wherein the statement of Allah's
Messenger (r) would be fulfilled:
“The
example of the believers in their love and affection to one another is like
that of the organs of one body. If one organ aches, the rest of the body
becomes feverish, and is affected.”
We all know that death
is the final destiny of every living being, the crucial question is: what
happens after death? Muslims like all believers in scriptures believe in the
Resurrection after death wherein all will meet just rewards or punishments in
an eternal life, either in the bliss of Gardens of Paradise or the blazing
fires of Hell. As for those who sincerely accept Islam as a way of life, they
surely took the safe path that leads to happiness and the bliss after death. As
for those who commit evil acts in this world against innocent people and
without any just basis, they would be punished and penalized for what they have
committed against innocent people. However, if one commits any act of
disobedience against the Commandments of Allah, the Almighty; it is totally up
to the Will and Mercy of Allah. If He Wishes to torture the evildoer by His
justice, there is no one to intercede on his behalf unless Allah permits. And
if Allah wishes to pardon such an evildoer, He would do so out of His Mercy and
Generosity.
As for those who turn
away from Islam, or turn their backs to it and die as non- Muslims, we do
believe that such people would stay in the Fire of Hell eternally.
For the above
reasons, Islam urges every sensible, thoughtful and respective
human being to seek true salvation for his soul by correct actions and based on
the Mercy of Allah, the Most Merciful. It encourages every person to seek the Right and Straight
Path that leads to Paradise; that is the Path
of Allah; the Path of Islam; the total submission to Allah. This is the Path
that leads to happiness for eternity. Allah the Almighty says of those enemies
who spread false propaganda against Islam:
(Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light by their
mouths: but Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the
disbelievers may detest (it).) (61:8)
The Messenger of Allah said:
“By the One in Whose
Hand the soul of Muhammad is! No member of this nation (to be called), no Jew
or Christian who hears of me and does not believe in what I was sent with, but
he will be of the people of the Fire.”
(Muslim)