What is Islam?

“It is He who hath sent His Apostle with Guidance and Religion of Truth to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it).” Holy Quran; Surah 9; Verse 33

Islam is a modern day way of life and one of the fastest growing faiths on Earth. With over 1.6 billion muslims and a growing community of reverts, Islam is prophesied by the Holy Quran (sacred scripture of Islam) to become the most popular faith of choice for mankind.

The meaning of Islam is to surrender one’s self to God Almighty, submit to His absolute Will, worship Him alone, obey His Commandments, demonstrate sincerity of the heart and be in peace with God’s provisions and tests.

Holy Quran; Surah: 31; Verses 22:

22. Whoever submits his whole self to God and is a doer of good has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold: and with God rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs.

Holy Quran; Surah: 49; Verse 14:

14. The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say `We have submitted our wills to God,’ For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey God and His Apostle, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for God is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.”

Holy Quran; Surah: 22; Verses 34-35:

34. To every people did We appoint rites (of sacrifice), that they might celebrate the name of God over the sustenance He gave them from animals (fit for food). But your God is one God: submit then your wills to Him (in Islam): and give thou the good news to those who humble themselves,–

35. To those whose hearts, when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what we have bestowed upon them.

As a verb Islam requires mankind to become “ISLAM-ERS” or the followers of Islam who abide by the code of life that God has revealed. As a noun, Islam is the name of the way of life that one must adopt to attain success in this world and salvation in the hereafter, thereby becoming a comprehensive ‘way of living’ that gives answers to all problems that mankind faces.

Holy Quran; Surah: 6 ; Verses 161-165:

161. Say: “Verily my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,– a religion of right, the Path (trod) by Abraham the true in faith, and he (certainly) joined not gods with God.”

162. Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for God, the Cherisher of the Worlds:

163. No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His Will.

164. Say: “Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than God, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is toward God: He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed.”

165. It is He who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that he may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

The foundation of Islam is based upon:

  1. God Almighty in his absolute, pure and only ‘one’ form. Him alone, no partners, no family and not part of His creation.
  2. The concept of Angels and Demons; Angels being God’s special creation that execute His command and are bound by it, with no choice above His command nor the aspect of disobedience. Demons, another form of creation that much like humankind freely break God’s commandments and ignores His supremacy. Known to have good and bad both, Demons are known as the Jinn in Islam.
  3. The concept of Prophets and books that God Almighty revealed to reform human civilization. With their actual number in hundreds of thousands, prophets are men of God who were handpicked to carry out God’s work on Earth and to warn mankind of its eminent end. To establish God’s Will on Earth, prophet’s were entrusted with Books that were guidance and the Word of God, a warning to mankind in black and white.
  4. The concept of the final messenger of God, Muhammad (ص) who was chosen as a seal to the chain of prophets and an end to prophethood. Accepting Muhammad (ص) is preceded by the acceptance of all prophet’s of God as true messengers.
  5. With a final message entrusted to him in the form of the Holy Quran, a magnificently well preserved book in it’s true form, the acceptance of the Holy Quran as the final message is foremost in Islam. One of the most astounding recitals and an error free book, revealed in Arabic, the Holy Quran is considered to be the only error free recital on the face of the Earth.
  6. The concept of the final culmination of time and the end of this universe as we know it, the day of Judgement features as a stark warning to mankind, a time when time ends and brings forth God’s anger towards human injustice and misdeeds. The resurrection of the entire human race in body and original form and terrible chaos ensuing due to the realization of the finality of resurrection; the end of death.
  7. The concept of Heaven and Hell as being mankind’s final destiny, an outcome of deeds good or bad, judged by God Almighty in a one-on-one, face-to-face review; man/woman and their Lord.

Last updated on: Jul 19, 2017

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Institute Al Islam helps you come closer to Islam as a religion. We aim to incorporate Islam as provided by the Quranic Law and Sahih Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him). Institute Al Islam went online on the 5th of November 1998 with a view to establish a very professional Islamic Forum to provide quality Islamic propagation through the Internet.

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