So...what exactly does Islam means?
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http//www.misconceptions-about-islam.com/more.htm
The first key thing to appreciate is the word "islam" and what it represents. It is an Arabic word and it existed before The Quran was written and was used to describe an attribute, an action, a state of being self-surrender or to make peace. It comes from the verb "aslama" meaning 'to give over'. A "muslim" is simply one who is in "islam" (i.e. one who surrenders or makes peace).
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When this question is asked, we get two answers 1. Submission 2. Peace.
If this is true then is a Muslim is one who submits or one who is peaceful?
What exactly does the Arabic language say? How can a word have two meanings? Kindly comment.
Thanks.
Personally I think such questions should be answered by the questioner. Do you want the dictionary definition?
Are you looking for a sectarian opinion? Do you have access to Arabic? Have you researched Quran Kareem?
Have you turned to Allah for your answer?God bless you
peace
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Hawk99 I am looking for a dictionary definition. Since I am Quran-centric, I am not looking for sectarian secondary sources for an answer.
Each time I ask this simple question, I get explanatory answers and the strange thing is no two people agree on what it means.
I thought I would put this question to those who know Arabic to see if it helps.
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Never mind.
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I am looking for a dictionary definition.
Peace mubashir55,
I myself prefer accepted dictionary definitions as well.
If this is true then is a Muslim is one who submits or one who is peaceful?
What exactly does the Arabic language say? How can a word have two meanings? Kindly comment.
Here is a great link from brother Wakas
http//www.studyquran.co.uk/PRLonline.htm
May God bless your endeavors
peace
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Harmony be upon you,
I do not, for you do never know how many fabrications are the cause of them.
Have faith
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Just sharing what I found on WikiIslam
http//wikiislam.net/wiki/The_Meaning_of_Islam
It claims when we take into consideration the derivatives of the root S L M it is wrong to assume that it means peace !!
"...Many people have wrongly attempted to equate the word Islam with peace by showing that Islam, meaning 'submission', shares a root word with Salaam, meaning 'peace'. But if such relationships between the meanings of Arabic words can be created then that would imply that there is a relationship between one of the derivations of the infinitive Salama, meaning the stinging of the snake or tanning the leather, and Salam, meaning peace; a relationship which obviously does not exist..."
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So you are going to claim that there are different roots for ?
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Peacemaking and Peacemakers in the Great Reading
(Al-Islam wa al-Muslimun fi al-Quran al-Adhim)Peacemaking is the natural obligation of humanity. Everyone knows what peace is; it's a universal concept....
From
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9600414.msg246867#msg246867
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Harmony with you Someone,
Peace is a good translation, but harmony has a better connotation since it implies on balance, and faith/faithful is also good because it connotes trust, security and confidence which is used when you say "aslama l'Rabb". Your life in "God's care basically in a literal sense. Some say submission but it is a warmer word than that for it is near to heart.
It all runs down on health to be honest. Good health be with you as a greeting (assalam aeleikum). Generic expression.
But its antonym is really restlessness and disorder, and even faithlessness (unspirituality/lacking spiritual affinity).
Have faith
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Wonder what a common person supposed to do when with a fundamental terms like "Islam" and "Muslim" there seems to be differences of opinion among those who know the language!
Sharing what I just read
"......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?/ __ (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 ?makingsuccess? and ?ifsad? means ?making corruption?, ?islam? means ?peacemaking?. So in2278, the common noun ?al-muslimeen? should be translated as ?the peacemakers?.Another word that is not translated by the majority of translators in 2278 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 2278 and provide a better translation.- 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
Peace makers" 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.Many evils in the world and plenty of wars and destruction have taken place by followers of all creeds in the name of striving for the god. So in turn, the peacemakers will be witnesses on humankind that testify the truth in the issue of those like Al-Qaeda who do not strive for the god the true striving and instead corrupt in the earth and shed the blood while claiming to strive for the god. The single word, ?peacemakers?, describing the true strivers for the god stands as an overwhelming witness against those who cause death and destruction while claiming to strive for the god. There are many implications to understanding "islam" as peacemaking. This is the real legacy of Abraham according to 2132
2.132. And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons,
and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! The god has chosen the
obligation for you, so do not die except while you are
peacemakers."As 2132 indicates, the primacy of the concept of peacemaking as a god-given obligation is not a new invention but it was already very well known to the previous people since the time of Abraham. In fact, the concepts of peace, peacemaking, and peacemakers are mentioned no less than 450 times in the Bible. For example, there are several prominent mentions of peacemakers (Arabic ?muslimeen?) in the Bible??
- And strive for the god his true striving. He has chosen
