The Meaning of "Islam"

Of  all  the  major religions of  the world,  Isldm stands  apart in
that  it  does not  derive  its  name from  a  tribe  or  person or
locality;  like  Judaism (from  Judah),  or  Christianity  (from
Christ) or  Buddhism (from  Buddha),  or  Hinduism (from  the
land  of  Hind, i.e.,  [ndia).  And Isl4m  does  not derive  its  name
from  the Prophet  Muhammad.  Muhammad  is not worshipped,
nor  is he regarded  as  the founder  of  Islflm  or the  author  of  its
holy  scripture,  the 
Qur'dn. The  term  "lslAm"  occurs in  more
than  one  place  in  the 
Qur'En 
itself.  It  is  derived  from the  Arabic
root  (slm)  which  connotes  "peace"  or "submission".  Indeed,  the
proper meaning of  "lsldm"  is  tJre  attainment  of  peace,  both
inner  zurd  outer  peace,  by  submission  of  oneself  to  the will  of
God  (A[lah).  This  means  conscious,  loving  and  trusting
submission,  the  acceptance  of  His grace  and  following of  His
path. In  that  sense  the  Muslim  regards  Islam  not  as a  new
religion  that  came  in  the  seventh  century  with the  advent  of the
Prophet  Muhammad,  but  as  a  continuation  of the  basic  mission
of  all  prophets  throughout  history.  That mission  was  perfected
and  made  universal  with the  last  of those  prophets,  Muhammad.


IslUmic  Monotheism
Muslims  do  not  have a separate  god  of  their  own  whom  they
call  "AllEh."  The name  "Allah"  has  no connotation 
at all  of  a
ffibal,  Arabian or even  a  Muslim  god. "AllEh"  simply means  the
one  and  only  true,  universal God  of  all.  "AllEhi'  i,  u  proper
lame 
belonging  only  to  the  one  almighty  God,  creator  and
sustainer  of  the  heavens and  the  earth  and  all  that  is  within
them, the  Eternat and Absolute, to  whom  alone all  worship  is
due. God  states  in  the 
eur'dn  that  His  name is  AlEh.  Hence,
Muslims  refer  to and  call on  Him by His proper  name,  Allehr.
what  are the basic  attributes  of  Alldh?  The 
eur'En  mentions
the  "best  nanles"  (or  attributes)  of  Ailair.  Instead  of
enurnerating  them  all,  we will  examine  a few.  some  attributes
emphasize  the transcendence  of  Allatr.  The 
eur'En 
repeatedly
makes it  clear  that  Ail[h  is  beyond  o'r  limited  perception:
"There  is  nothing 
^like 
unto  Him1,'1qur'An  42:l'l)  "irision
perceives  Him  nof,  but  He  perr"nii 
faltJ 
vision"(e'r,En
6:103)  "Nor  is  th,ere  to  Him  any equivaint!(e  ll2;4)  A
Muslim  never thinks  of  Alhtr  as having any particular  image,
whether  physical, human,  material or otherwisi.  such attributes
as  "the all-Knowing," 
"t6g Eternal," 
,'the 
Omnipotent," 
,,the 
all
Encompassing," 
"the Just,"  and "the  sovereigni  also  emphasize

lranscendence.  But  this  does not  mean that  Alldtr  is  a  mere

philosophical concept  or a  deity far removed.  Indeed,  alongside
this  emphasis  on  the  transcendence  of  AllEh,  the 
Qur'dn  also
speaks  of  AlHh  as a  God  who  is  close, easily  approachable,
kind. affectionate,  loving,  forgiving  and  merciful. The very first
passage  in  the 
Qur'dn, 
repeated  at the start  of  every chapter  is
"ln  the  name  af  AllAh,  the  Entirely  Merciful,  the  Especially
Merciful..."  The 
Qur'fln 
tells  us that  when AllAh  created  the
first  human  He  "breathed  into  him 
fram 
His 
fcreatedJ
souf."1q  32:9) and that  Allah  is  "closer  to  him  (the  human)
than 
fhisJ 
jugular  vern."(Q  50:16)  In  another beautiful  and
moving  passage  we  are  told,  "And  when 
W  serttants rck  you,
[O 
MuhammadJ, concerning  Me 
- 
indeed  I  am near. I  respond
to  the  invocation  of  the supplicant  when he calls  upan Me. So
let  them respond  to  Me 
fby 
obedienceJ  and believe  in  Me that
they  may  be 
frightlyJ 
guided."(Q  2:186)
For  the  Muslim,  monotheism  does  not  mean  simply  the
oneness  of  God,  but  the  absolute  uniqueness  of  Allah,  which
precludes the  notion  of  anyone sharing  in  the  godhead.  The
opposite  of  monotheism  in  IslEm  is  called "shirk",  an Arabic
term  meaning the  association of  another with  Allah  in  some
aspect  of  divinity.  It  includes  polytheism, dualism (one  god for
good or  light  and  another  for  evil  or  darkness),  and pantheism,
the  idea  that  God  is  within  everything-  All  forms  of  god
incarnate  philosophies  are excluded  by  IslEm's  monotheism,  as
is blind  obedience  to  dictators,  clerry,  or  one's  own whims and
desires,  rather  than  to  the ordinances  of  God (Allah).  All  these
are  regarded  as  forms  of  "associating"  others  with Allatr 

{shirk}

either  by believing  tlrat  some  creatures  of AllAh  possess  divinity
or  by believing that  they share  in  the  divine  attributes  of  Alleh.
To  the Muslim,  monotheism  is not simply  a dogma,  thought or
belief;  it  is  something  that  deeply  influences one's  whole

outlook  on life.