Are you ‘Muslim’? Do you follow ‘Islam’?

Let us understand the meaning of these words, words that have become some of the most hated in the world today. The dictionary meaning of “Islam” is “submission” (to the will of God), derived from the root word “aslama” meaning “he resigned, he surrendered or he submitted”, and that of “Muslim” is “one who submits or surrenders.” Hence anyone who submits to the will of God is Muslim and follows Islam.

Why do people hate these words so much when Islam is no more than a description of a practice advocated by God, the Almighty? Is it the fright of the unknown or the guilt of reading a scripture that will point out our fallacy, or is it our ego that is preventing us from accepting the truth, or are we so preoccupied with hate for each other that we are oblivious to the obvious? Or maybe, we simply hate it because it is not in accordance with our idea of religion?

Did you know that the original founder of Islam was Prophet Abraham? Contrary to popular belief that Islam (Submission) was founded by the prophet Muhammad, Islam is actually the religion of Abraham.

God has clarified for us that Abraham was the real founder of Islam.

[4:125] Who is better guided in his religion than one who submits totally to GOD, leads a righteous life, according to the creed of Abraham: monotheism? GOD has chosen Abraham as a beloved friend.

[3:95] Say, "GOD has proclaimed the truth: You shall follow Abraham's religion―monotheism. He never was an idolator."

Abraham, like all other Prophets/Messengers before and after him, was ordered to worship God alone.

[Bible Exodus 20] The Ten Commandments
And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me…

[Bible Deuteronomy 4:35] "You it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him"

[Bible Matthew 4:10] "Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him ONLY."

So it would stand to reason that anyone who is Jewish, Christian, Muslim or any other religion can be “Muslim”, i.e., a Submitter to God. There can be Jewish Muslims, Christian Muslims or Muslim Muslims. Anyone who worships GOD ALONE qualifies as Muslim (Submitter). The infinitely merciful God has given each and every human being, irrespective of the religion he/she is born into, the opportunity to submit to Him alone and make it back to paradise.

[2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve."

God’s message has remained constant from the time of Adam and the message is language independent. While different prophets/messengers spoke different tongues at different periods of time, the essence of the message has always been the worship of GOD ALONE.

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