The word "Islam" is derived from the root "salama"; it means to be at peace or to have security. Therefore, a Muslim is a person who surrenders, submits himself/herself to and obeys the laws of Almighty God. Through this submission; s/he attains peace and security for himself/herself.
We can immediately see that by such a definition, the Arabic word "Islam" describes the manners and the behaviors of all the well known and respected Prophets and Messengers of Almighty God: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, John the Baptist, Jesus the son of Mary and Muhammad (Peace and blessings be on them all). All of these Prophets and Messengers were sent to people by the same Almighty God with the same Message, with the same chain of transmission. They preached ONE thing: "obey God", worship the Almighty God, fulfill the purpose of your life, do good actions so that you will be rewarded with perfect life (in paradise). That's all that they taught people. That's all they conveyed to people, regardless of what language and what time and whom they came to. If you read the scriptures carefully, without your own interpretations or somebody else's additions or fabrications, you will find that this was the simple message of all those Prophets, who confirmed the Message of each other None of those honorable Prophets ever said "I am God; worship me". You don't have to think about that because you will not find it in any of the books that you have, not in the Bible, in the Torah, in the Old and the New Testaments or in the Psalms of David. You will not find it in any book or in any speech of any Prophet. Hence, where did it come from? This is another thing that you have to investigate for yourself.
We can immediately see that by such a definition, the Arabic word "Islam" describes what all the Prophets did. The call came and they submitted themselves to God, surrendered themselves to God, called the people to God, and asked people and insisted upon them to do deeds of righteousness. The Ten Commandments of Moses, what was about? The scrolls of Abraham, what was about? The Psalms of David, what was about? The proverbs of Solomon, what did he say? The Gospel of Jesus Christ, what did he say? What did John the Baptist say? What did Isaac and Ishmael say? What did Muhammad say? They said: "Worship one God"; nothing more than that.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
Do not think about the Arabic terminology, do not think about how we are dressed, do not think about Makkah or Saudi Arabia or Egypt etc…, or about the misconceptions that you have about Muslims.
Think about the word "Muslim". It denotes to the one who surrenders oneself to the Almighty God and obeys the laws of the Almighty God. Everything that surrenders to the laws of Almighty God is a Muslim. Hence, when a child comes out of the womb of its mother at the time God has ordered, what is it? It is a Muslim. When the sun goes around in its orbit, what is it? It is a Muslim. When a moon goes around the sun, what is it? It is a Muslim. The law of gravity, what is it? It is a Muslim law. Everything that submits to the Almighty God's law is a Muslim. Therefore, when we obey Almighty God, we are Muslims.
We can immediately see that by such a definition, the Arabic word "Islam" describes the manners and the behaviors of all the well known and respected Prophets and Messengers of Almighty God: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, John the Baptist, Jesus the son of Mary and Muhammad (Peace and blessings be on them all). All of these Prophets and Messengers were sent to people by the same Almighty God with the same Message, with the same chain of transmission. They preached ONE thing: "obey God", worship the Almighty God, fulfill the purpose of your life, do good actions so that you will be rewarded with perfect life (in paradise). That's all that they taught people. That's all they conveyed to people, regardless of what language and what time and whom they came to. If you read the scriptures carefully, without your own interpretations or somebody else's additions or fabrications, you will find that this was the simple message of all those Prophets, who confirmed the Message of each other None of those honorable Prophets ever said "I am God; worship me". You don't have to think about that because you will not find it in any of the books that you have, not in the Bible, in the Torah, in the Old and the New Testaments or in the Psalms of David. You will not find it in any book or in any speech of any Prophet. Hence, where did it come from? This is another thing that you have to investigate for yourself.
We can immediately see that by such a definition, the Arabic word "Islam" describes what all the Prophets did. The call came and they submitted themselves to God, surrendered themselves to God, called the people to God, and asked people and insisted upon them to do deeds of righteousness. The Ten Commandments of Moses, what was about? The scrolls of Abraham, what was about? The Psalms of David, what was about? The proverbs of Solomon, what did he say? The Gospel of Jesus Christ, what did he say? What did John the Baptist say? What did Isaac and Ishmael say? What did Muhammad say? They said: "Worship one God"; nothing more than that.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakkah. And that is the correct religion. [98-5].This was the original message. Naturally, it will also be appropriate here to consider these Prophets and Messengers as Muslims.
Do not think about the Arabic terminology, do not think about how we are dressed, do not think about Makkah or Saudi Arabia or Egypt etc…, or about the misconceptions that you have about Muslims.
Think about the word "Muslim". It denotes to the one who surrenders oneself to the Almighty God and obeys the laws of the Almighty God. Everything that surrenders to the laws of Almighty God is a Muslim. Hence, when a child comes out of the womb of its mother at the time God has ordered, what is it? It is a Muslim. When the sun goes around in its orbit, what is it? It is a Muslim. When a moon goes around the sun, what is it? It is a Muslim. The law of gravity, what is it? It is a Muslim law. Everything that submits to the Almighty God's law is a Muslim. Therefore, when we obey Almighty God, we are Muslims.