Etymology of Islam and Muslim

Summary

In Arabic, the word Islam (إسلام, al-Islām) means “submission [to God]”. It is the verbal noun of Form IV from the root سلم (S-L-M), a set of words associated with submission, safeness, and peace. In a religious context, Islam refers to total surrender to God’s will. A Muslim (مُسْلِم, muslim) is the active participle of the same verb form, meaning “submitter (to God)” or “one who surrenders (to God)”. The text also notes scholarly discussion about how these terms function in the Qur’an: one scholar argues that dīn is “worship,” islām is “monotheism,” and muslim is “monotheist.” In the Hadith of Gabriel, Islam is presented as one part of a triad alongside imān (faith) and ihsān (excellence). Historically, Islam was sometimes called “Mohammedanism” in English-speaking contexts, a label that has fallen out of use and is sometimes considered offensive because it centers a human figure rather than God.

Key Points

• 1

  Islam derives from the Arabic root S-L-M and denotes submission to God’s will.

• 2

  Muslim is the active participle form meaning “submitter” or “one who surrenders (to God).”

• 3

  Islam is discussed in relation to imān and ihsān in the Hadith of Gabriel, and the term Islam has been historically labeled “Mohammedanism” in English usage.