Islam — Meaning of the Word

Islam (Arabic: الإسلام) is pronounced is-LAAM, with a clear “s” (not a “z”) and a long second “a”.

Meaning

The word comes from the Arabic root s-l-m, which carries the ideas of safety, wholeness and peace. The same root gives salam (peace) and muslim (one who submits). To “do islam” is to give yourself fully and willingly to God. The Qur’an describes the reward of such a person:

بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌۭ فَلَهُۥٓ أَجْرُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾

Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.

Notice that the religion is not named after a founder, a tribe or a place. That is why Muslims dislike old terms such as “Mohammedanism”: they do not worship Muhammad ﷺ, but God alone.

How Muslims use it

Today Islam is the name of the religion taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and followed by nearly a quarter of the world’s population. In a broader sense, Muslims believe every prophet — from Noah to Abraham, Moses and Jesus — taught islam: sincere surrender to the One God.

Example

“She embraced Islam after years of reading about the prophets.”

For more, read What Does “Islam” Mean? or the overview What Is Islam?