The story of life and creation
In order to understand Islam, you need to be aware of the story and purpose of life as viewed by Muslims. God created Adam and Eve, and fated that they descend to the earth to live and die there; they are the parents of all humankind, and from their children and offspring nations and tribes were formed.
Adam and his family worshiped God alone and followed His commandments. However, deviations happened from one generation to another; people either lost their religion or worshiped false gods. Therefore, God sent prophets and messengers to remind people about their Lord who created them and to affirm His oneness in their beliefs. They invited people to submit to God, worship Him alone, and follow His commandments.
The prophets and messengers were also reformers; they taught people values and morals, called for justice, and opposed oppression and abominations. Among the known prophets and messengers of God are Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, David, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon all of them.
Abraham was eminent in his dedication, struggle, and passion to teach people monotheism. Approximately 2000 BCE, God entrusted him to establish the Kaaba on its original foundation in Makkah, to become a house for God on earth, a shrine of monotheism, and a sanctuary to glorify and worship the One God alone without associating any partner with Him.
From Moses and Jesus to the final Messenger
As generations succeeded one another, humankind deviated once more from the creed of monotheism, fell into polytheism and idol worship, and evil, injustice, killing, and corruption spread among them. Approximately 1300 BCE, God sent Moses to the children of Israel and revealed the Torah to him — a book of law that regulated people's lives and a source of light and guidance. Then, after many prophets, God sent Jesus to the children of Israel and revealed the Gospel to him, a book of light and guidance that confirmed the Torah.
Unfortunately, the creed of monotheism that Moses and Jesus brought was altered among many of their followers who contradicted what the noble messengers had brought from God. As for the divine books — the Torah and the Gospel — which were once conveyed to people orally, their texts underwent change, alteration, and deletion throughout history.
In the year 610 CE, God sent Muhammad ﷺ as a mercy to all people, to bring them back to monotheism, the true religion of God. He revealed to him the Glorious Quran, the final and concluding divine book to humanity. Unlike the earlier books — which were written and compiled long after their prophets had passed away — the Quran was memorized word by word in the hearts of righteous believers and was therefore protected from any alteration, transferred from one generation to another since it was revealed.
There are no revelations after the Glorious Quran, and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the seal of the prophets. He informed his companions that no messenger will come after him except Jesus, who will return before the end of the world — not with a new message, but to confirm God's final message, unite people under the banner of monotheism, defeat the false Messiah, and govern with God's law so that justice, peace, and harmony prevail. Life on earth will not continue forever; it will end when the Hour comes, the universe will collapse, and people will be resurrected to stand before God.
What is Islam?
Islam is the religion of monotheism. It carries a universal message and the final divine book from the Lord of people — who created them — to all people. Once embraced, Islam becomes a prosperous way of life and a universal civilization.
Muslims believe in one God and worship Him alone. His name is Allah. He is the Lord of all beings who created them. There is no god or deity except Him; no one is worthy of worship except Him. He neither begets nor is born, and He has no partners or children. He alone controls the whole universe, He alone gave life to all living creatures, and to Him all people will return after they die.
Unlike many other religions and creeds established by prominent men throughout history, Muslims believe that Islam was originated by the Creator of all beings — to guide people to Him, make them aware of the purpose of life, and help them make the best of their living on earth. He is the God and the Lord of all creatures.
- 01The religion of monotheism: worshipping one God without partners.
- 02A universal message: from the Lord of people to all people.
- 03The final divine book: the Quran, preserved in its text until the Day of Judgment.
- 04A way of life: positive and constructive on earth.
- 05A universal civilization: material and moral.
One message carried by all prophets
The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad ﷺ, was but a Messenger who conveyed God's final message and concluding divine book, the Quran, to humanity. The Quran acknowledges and confirms all previous books God sent to humankind in their original forms, without subtractions and alterations — such as the Scrolls revealed to Abraham, the Psalms revealed to David, the Torah revealed to Moses, and the Gospel revealed to Jesus.
Therefore, Islam carries the same message conveyed by the messengers and prophets God sent across history, to protect people from being misled — from going astray, worshipping false deities, and falling into abomination. It is the message of monotheism: worshipping one God alone without associating any partners with Him. It is also a universal message that alerts people to their short life and their awaited meeting with their Lord, to be questioned about their deeds in this worldly life.
Worship is a broad concept in Islam
Worshipping Allah alone is not only by praying to Him; every good thing we do in His kingdom and to any of His creatures is an act of worship. Our Creator made the earth a living planet and granted us life on it for a limited period; each one of us has a date of birth and a date of death.
Everyone's life is like an account of deeds: good deeds are credits and bad deeds are debits. God records all of our deeds in a book that is opened when we are born and closed when we die.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'I and the Hour have been sent like these two,' and he pointed with his index and middle fingers — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. This points to the nearness of the Day of Resurrection, also called the Day of Judgment or the Day of Accounting, when all people will rise from death to stand before God to be questioned about their deeds. Whoever did good will find it and be rewarded, and whoever did bad will find it recorded and be held accountable for it. Allah encourages people to repent to Him; He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Islam in one sentence
A man asked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to explain Islam in simple and clear words. He concisely said to him: 'Say: I believe in Allah, then be steadfast.' (Muslim) This means that Islam is sincere faith in Allah alone without partner, appearing in a person's conduct in word and deed, in commitment to Allah's law, commands, and prohibitions, and in uprightness of conduct and work.
In a few simple words: believe in your Lord who created you, worship Him alone and do not associate partners with Him, submit to His commands, and do good in His kingdom — believe and do.
The meanings of Islam: submission and peace
Islam literally means submission and devotion to the One God — the Creator who created us and created all things. This is submission to His command and law, and an affirmation of His lordship and sole divinity. It was the way and religion of all the prophets and messengers God sent before Muhammad ﷺ. In the Quran, God says: [When his Lord said to him: Submit, he said: I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds. And Abraham instructed his sons to do the same, and so did Jacob, saying: O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims.] (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:131-132)
The word 'Islam' in Arabic is derived from the same root as 'salaam', which means peace; peace is also among the beautiful names of Allah mentioned in the Quran. The one who believes in Allah, submits to His command, and acts upon His law will feel calmness, tranquility, and peace within, and will live at peace with the world around them — harming neither people, nor animals, nor plants, nor any part of the environment, but carrying goodness to all around them.