---
title: "Muslim — Meaning of the Word | Islam Is Mercy"
description: "A Muslim is a person who submits to the One God and follows Islam. Muslims come from every race, nation and language."
lang: en
url: https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/muslim/
---

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3.  Muslim — Meaning of the Word

# Muslim — Meaning of the Word

Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 1 min readAwaiting scholar review

## The short answer

A Muslim is someone who willingly submits to the One God and follows the religion of Islam. Muslims are not an ethnic group: they include people of every race and nation, and most of them are not Arabs.

## On this page

1.  Meaning
2.  How Muslims use it
3.  Example

**Muslim** (Arabic: مسلم) is pronounced *MUS-lim*, with a clear “s”. You may also see the older spelling “Moslem”, which most Muslims today prefer not to use.

## Meaning

*Muslim* comes from the same root as *Islam* and *salam* (peace). It means “one who submits” — a person who gives his or her will to God. Muslims make up nearly a quarter of humanity, and they are spread across every continent. The country with the largest Muslim population is Indonesia, not an Arab country.

Being a Muslim is not only about belief; it is also about how you treat others. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave a simple description:

> …A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands.…

[Sahih al-Bukhari 10](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/2#:~:text=Muslim%20is%20the%20one%20who)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari)

## How Muslims use it

A person becomes Muslim by sincerely declaring that there is no god but God and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger. There is no ceremony or membership fee, and no priest is needed. Muslims also use the word in its wider sense to describe earlier prophets and their followers who submitted to God.

## Example

*“My neighbour is a Muslim, so she fasts from dawn to sunset during Ramadan.”*

To learn more, read [What Is Islam?](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/what-is-islam/) or [How to Become a Muslim](https://islamismercy.com/en/become-muslim/how-to-become-muslim/).

## Key takeaways

-   A Muslim is one who submits to God.
-   Muslims come from every race and nation — most are not Arabs.
-   Islam teaches that a true Muslim keeps others safe from harm.

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## Sources

-   [Sahih al-Bukhari 10](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/2#:~:text=Muslim%20is%20the%20one%20who)

## Talk to a Muslim

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## Keep reading

[Start Here

### What Is Islam? A Simple Introduction

A clear, friendly introduction to Islam — what Muslims believe about God, the prophets and the Qur'an, and how faith shapes everyday life.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/what-is-islam/)[Becoming Muslim

### How to Become Muslim: The Shahada

Becoming Muslim is simple — sincerely believe and declare the shahada. No ceremony, fee or clergy is needed. A gentle guide to the step and what comes next.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/become-muslim/how-to-become-muslim/)[Glossary

### Islam — Meaning of the Word

Islam is an Arabic word meaning willing submission to God, from the same root as salam, peace. It is also the name of the religion.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/islam/)