An introduction to what Islam is, what Muslims believe, and how belief connects to practice.
The word Islam comes from the Arabic root s-l-m, the same root as salaam (peace). It means submission — specifically, the willing submission of a person to the one God, Allah. A Muslim is simply “one who submits” in this sense.
Islam teaches that there is only one God, that He has no partners or equals, and that He has sent guidance to humanity through a line of prophets — including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all) — ending with Muhammad ﷺ, who Muslims believe is the final messenger. The Qur’an is held to be the literal word of God as revealed to him, and the Sunnah (his teachings and example) is the second major source of guidance.
Islam is not only a set of beliefs; it is also a way of practising those beliefs in daily life. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked directly what Islam consists of, he described five core acts of worship — known as the Five Pillars — which are covered in the next lesson.
Key points
- "Islam" means submission to the one God, from the same root as the Arabic word for peace.
- Islam is monotheistic: it teaches belief in one God, Allah, with no partners or equals.
- Muslims believe God sent guidance through many prophets, ending with Muhammad (peace be upon him).
- The Qur'an and the Sunnah (the Prophet's teachings and example) are the two primary sources of guidance.
- Islam combines belief with practice - what a Muslim believes and what a Muslim does are both part of the religion.
Qur’an
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — 3:19
Hadith
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was asked: Messenger of Allah, what is al-Islam? He replied: Al-Islam is that you worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, and you establish obligatory prayer, and you pay the obligatory alms (Zakat), and you observe the fast of Ramadan.
Sahih Muslim, no. 97 (Book 1, Hadith 5) .
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