The word Islam means voluntary “Submission” or “Surrender” to the Will of Allah (God). It derives from the root word “salam,” meaning peace. The followers of the religion of Islam are named Muslims. Muslim means to the true will of Allah.
In the Qur’an, Allah defines that the only purpose for which He created mankind is to Worship Him. Islam recognises that humankind has free choice and will, but ultimately, we will be held accountable to Allah in the next life for the choices that we make in this life.
Islam is a natural way of life that encourages one to give due attention to their relationship with Allah and His creation. Islam teaches that it is through the doing of good deeds and seeking the pleasure of Allah.
The following beliefs are those that are commonly held by Muslims, as laid out in the Quran and Hadith.
Belief in the Oneness of Allah (God): Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of all things, and that he is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Belief in the Angels of Allah: Muslims believe in angels, unseen beings who worship Allah and carry out ’s orders throughout the universe. The angel Gabriel brought the divine revelation to the prophets.
Belief in the Books of Allah: Muslims believe that Allah revealed holy books or scriptures to a number of his messengers. These include the Qur’an (given to Muhammad SAW), the Torah (given to Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms (given to David), and the Scrolls (given to Abraham). Muslims believe that these earlier scriptures in their original form were divinely revealed, but that only the Qur’an remains as it was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Belief in the Prophets or Messengers of Allah: Muslims believe that Allah’s guidance has been revealed to humankind through specially appointed messengers, or prophets, throughout history, beginning with the first man, Adam, who is considered the first prophet. Twenty-five of these prophets are mentioned by name in the Quran, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (AS). Muslims believe that Muhammad (SAW) is the last in this line of prophets, sent for all humankind with the message of Islam.
Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment, humans will be judged for their actions in this life; those who followed Allah’s guidance will be rewarded with paradise; those who reject Allah’s guidance will be judged differently.
Belief in the Divine Decree: This article of faith addresses the question of Allah’s will. It can be expressed as the belief that everything is governed by divine decree, namely that whatever happens in one’s life is preordained, and that believers should respond to the good or bad that befalls them with thankfulness or patience. This concept does not negate the concept of “free will;” since humans do not have prior knowledge of Allah’s decree, they do have freedom of choice.