Definition
The word ISLAM has a two-fold
meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission requires
a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the one Almighty
God. One must consciously and conscientiously
give oneself to the service of Allah. This means to act on what
Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the Qur'an)
and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged us to
do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur'an).
Once we humble ourselves,
rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to Allah, and to
Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel peace
in our hearts. Establishing peace
in our hearts will bring about peace in our external conduct as
well.
Islam is careful to remind
us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service; rather
it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced continuously
for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the five pillars
of the religion: the declaration of faith in the oneness of Allah
and the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer, fasting the month
of Ramadan, alms-tax,
and the pilgrimage to Makkah; and believe in the six articles
of faith: belief in God, the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels,
the Day of Judgment and God's decree, whether for good or ill.
There are other injunctions
and commandments which concern virtually all facets of one's
personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as
diet, clothing, personal hygeine, interpersonal relations, business
ethics, responsibilities towards parents, spouse and children,
marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil and criminal law, fighting
in defense of Islam, relations with non-Muslims, and so much
more.
