What does the word Islam means

[Mubashir]

Salam friends

I am curious to learn what the term Islam means based on Arabic lexicons and relevant root words. Is it Submission [to Allah's guidance] or peace? Once we know, the next question would be who is a Muslim? One who submits or one who is peaceful?

Thanks.

[ahmad]

Salam brother Mubashir,

Here is a quote from IslamQA

If you refer to Arabic language dictionaries you will find out that the meaning of the word Islam is: submission, humbling oneself, and obeying commands and heeding prohibitions without objection, sincerely worshipping Allaah alone, believing what He tells us and having faith in Him.

From my limited perspective, the way I see it is that islam means to submit to and obey God's teachings. Being peaceful as you stated is one of those teachings that must be obeyed.

I hope this helps in a small way,

Regards
Ahmed.

[Mubashir]

Thanks Br Ahmed. Wanted to learn because depending who you ask, you get different answers. Some say Submission others say Peace.

[Wakas]

The word "islam" has nothing to do with a religion nor is it inherently linked to God.

The theoretical meaning of the Arabic word form can be either submission or peacemaking. They are linked meanings when you think about it.

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam

The word Islam has been assigned as a religion by God so it is in this context the OP has asked what the meaning is.

Quran 5:3

".....This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam...."

[Wakas]

peace TS,

Mubashir asked what does "Islam" (with a capital I) mean. The answer is it is a meaningless title. However when he mentions lexicon and root word he is obviously referring to its underlying meaning, its origin etc NOT as a title. Hence my answer.

It's like asking what does "John" mean. Well, perhaps the name originally had a meaning but to a person named John it is almost entirely irrelevant, as he may embody the original meaning, he may not.

You claim a capitalised meaningless word has been assigned as a religion by God? That is illogical. It is only true if one embodies the meaning.

If I were to translate that part of 5:3 I would render it as:

"...and I have approved for you submission/peacemaking as an obligation/system..."

Now it makes sense...... to me at least.


Reference:
https://www.misconceptions-about-islam.com/more.htm

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam


To me it seemed that Mubashir was talking in context to religion when he asked...'the next question would be who is a Muslim'.

Of course the word Islam has an intrinsic meaning but it has been allocated this name as for our religion.

Islam is the name of the religion as Christianity and Judaism are religions.

Simply a title to demarcate the faith. That makes sense to me.

[Mubashir]

Thanks for your comments Brothers.

I recently read an article by Dr. Ayman Mohamed in which he, commenting on 22:78 says:

".....The word “al-muslimeen” is the plural of “muslim” with the definite article “al” preposed.
The word “muslim” is of the form muf‘il and comes from the Arabic three letter
root “slm”. In Arabic the word “salaam”/ م (form fa‘aal) means “peace”. The words
“muslim” and “salaam” have a straightforward relation like the relationship between
other words of the form muf‘il and fa‘aal. Words of the form muf‘il have the meaning of
“maker of fa‘aal”. For example, “salaah” means goodness and “muslih” is the maker of
goodness, “najaah” means success and “munjih” means the maker of success, “fasad”
means corruption and “mufsid” is the maker of corruption, and so on. By the same token,
“salaam” means peace and “muslim” means the maker of peace, in other words it means
“peacemaker”. It follows that like “islah” means “making good”, “injah” means “making
success” and “ifsad” means “making corruption”, “islam” means “peacemaking”. So in
22:78, the common noun “al-muslimeen” should be translated as “the peacemakers”..."

He continues:

"...Another word that is not translated by the majority of translators in 22:78 and elsewhere
in the Quran is the Arabic word “allah”. As we saw in the previous chapter, like the word
“al-muslimeen” (peacemakers), the word “allah” is a universal common noun and not the
proper name of an Arab deity. The word “allah” is essentially the contracted form of “alilah”,
which literally means “the god”. With this understanding, let's reexamine 22:78 and
provide a better translation.

22:78. And strive for the god his true striving. He has chosen
you and has made no hardship on you in the obligation, the
creed of your father Ibrahim. He (the god) named you the
peacemakers previously and in this, so that the messenger will
be a witness on you and you will be witnesses on humankind. ...
We are told that the reason for naming the followers of the god’s message "the
peacemakers" is two fold; the messenger will be a witness on them; and they will be
witnesses on humankind.

The definition of a witness can be summed up as one who testifies in the case of a
dispute. The messenger is by definition the deliverer of the message and therefore in this
capacity the message is the vehicle for communication. So what is the issue in dispute
and how does delivering the message accomplish the purpose of witnessing against its
own followers?

The issue in dispute is mentioned right at the beginning of the passage. By pointing to the
true striving for the god, it is implicit in that statement that there is false striving for the
god. The message of the passage is that its followers have been described as "the
peacemakers" by the god. This message will be a witness against its own followers in the
dispute of what constitutes true striving ("jihad") for the god as opposed to false striving
("jihad") for the god. Thus, by virtue of their god-given description, the followers of the
messenger cannot corrupt and cause destruction and shed blood and then turn around and
claim that they are doing it because they are striving for the god. By describing its
followers as the peacemakers, the god’s message will be a witness against them...."

Continuing Dr Ayman writes:
".....Peacemaking is not a religion and one doesn’t even have to be a believer to be a peacemaker as clear from 49:14:
49:14. The dwellers of the wilderness said “we believed”. Say: “You didn’t believe but say we made peace but faith has not entered your hearts and if you obey the god and his messenger, he will not diminish any of your deeds, indeed the god is forgiving, merciful.

Thus, the opposite of peacemaker/”muslim” is not disbeliever. The opposite of a peacemaker is a criminal:
68:35. Shall we make peacemakers like criminals!?
A criminal corrupts and causes bloodshed. On the other hand, by being peacemakers, humans fulfill the responsibility that the god entrusted them with...."
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More here:
http://www.quran4peace.org/en_index.html