Islam is the name by which the religion preached by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, who appeared in Arabia more than thirteen hundred years ago,[2] is known, and it is the last of the great religions of the world. This religion is commonly known in the West as Muhammadanism, a name adopted in imitation of such names as Christianity and Buddhism, but it is quite unknown to the Muslims themselves. According to the Quran, the sacred Book of Islam, the religion of Islam is as wide in its conception as humanity itself. It did not originate from the preaching of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, but it was as well the religion of the prophets that went before him. Islam was the religion of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus; it was, in fact, the religion of every Prophet of God, who appeared in any part of the world. Nay, Islam is the religion of every human child that is born, according to the Holy Prophet who, to be accurate, is not the originator but the latest exponent of that Divine system which was made perfect at his advent. And according to the Quran, Islam is the natural religion of man:
“The nature made by God in which He has created man — that is the right religion” (30:30).
And since, according to the Quran, prophets were raised among different nations in different ages, and the religion of every prophet was, in its pristine purity, no other than Islam, the scope of this religion, in the true sense of the word, extends as far back, and is as wide, as humanity itself, the fundamental principles always remaining the same, the accidents changing with the changing needs of humanity. The latest phase of Islam is that which made its appearance in the world with the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad — may peace and the blessings of God be upon him!
Significance of the name
The name Islam was not invented, as in the case of other religions, by those who professed it. This name is, on the other hand, expressly given to this religion in the Holy Quran. It says:
“I (God) have chosen for you Islam as a religion” (5:3).
And in another place:
“Surely the religion with God is Islam” (3:19).
It is, moreover, a significant name; in fact, the word Islam indicates the very essence of the religious system known by that name. Its primary significance is the ‘making of peace’, and the idea of ‘peace’ is the dominant idea in Islam. A Muslim, according to the Holy Quran, is he who has made peace with God and man, with the Creator as well as His creatures. Peace with God implies complete submission to His will Who is the source of all purity and goodness, and peace with man implies the doing of good to fellow-man. Both these ideas are briefly, but beautifully, expressed in 2:112, which says:
“Nay, whoever submits himself entirely to God, and is the doer of good to others, he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for such, nor shall they grieve.”
That, and that only, is salvation according to the Holy Quran. And as the Muslim is in perfect peace, he enjoys peace of mind and contentment (16:106). “Peace” is the greeting of one Muslim to another, and “Peace” shall also be the greeting of those in paradise:
“And their greeting therein shall be, Peace” (10:10).
Nay, in the paradise which Islam depicts, no word shall be heard except “Peace, Peace”, as the Holy Quran says:
“They shall hear therein no vain or sinful talk, but only the saying, Peace! Peace!” (56:25,26).
The “Author of peace and safety” is also a name of God mentioned in the Holy Quran (59:23), and the goal to which Islam leads is the “Abode of Peace”, as is said in 10:25:
“And God invites to the abode of peace”.
Peace is, therefore, the essence of Islam, being the root from which it springs and the fruit which it yields, and Islam is thus pre-eminently the Religion of Peace.
Footnotes
[2] Born 571 C.E., died 632 C.E.