The word Islam is derived from the Arabic root word “SALAM” which means, among other things, peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense the word Islam means submission to the Will of God and obedience to His Law. Only through submission to the Will of God and by obedience to His Law can one achieve true peace and be in harmony with the created and the creator Himself. Muslims are those who submit themselves in obedience to Almighty God. Therefore anyone who does not follow his or her own will but follows the will of Almighty God is a Muslim.
Submission to the good Will of God, together with the obedience to His beneficial Law, is the best safeguard of peace and harmony. It enables man to make peace between himself and his fellow men on the one hand, and between the human community and God on the other. It creates harmony among the elements of Nature. According to Islam, everything in the world, or every phenomenon other than man is administered by God-made Laws. This makes the entire physical world necessarily obedient to God and submissive to His laws, which, in turn, means that it is in a state of Islam, or it is Muslim. The physical world has no choice of its own but obeys the Law of the Creator, the Law of Islam or submission. Man is singled out as being endowed with intelligence and the power of making choices and he is invited to submit to the good Will of God and obey His Law. As a result he will be with the truth and in harmony between himself and all the other elements of Nature. But if he chooses disobedience he will deviate from the Right Path and will be inconsistent. Besides, he will incur the displeasure and punishment of the Lawgiver.
The concept of God in Islam describes Him as the Most Merciful and Gracious, and the Most Loving and most concerned with the well being of man, and as Full of Wisdom and care for His Creatures. His Will, accordingly, is a Will of Benevolence and Goodness, and whatever Law He prescribes must be in the best interest of mankind.
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