The Explanation of the Word Islam by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

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There are numerous narrations in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself explicitly explained and defined the meaning of the word Islam and the most fundamental aspects of the religion.

An example of this is the following hadith, narrated by al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه. As in other narrations, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked, “What is Islam?” and he replied:

الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ وَتُؤَدِّيَ الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ

Islam is that you worship only Allah and do not associate anything with Him³⁰, that you establish prayer, pay the obligatory Zakat, and fast during Ramadan.³¹

With this repeatedly stated declaration, the term Islam was clearly explained by the Prophet of Islam himself. As is evident from this, the essence of this religion lies in the worship of the one and only Creator of mankind.

Since this is the most central aspect of Islam, the question “What is Islam?” must be sufficiently clarified by the Islamic sources. Therefore, it should require nothing more than returning to the texts of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. With the aforementioned definition given by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the first fundamental question of this religion is clearly answered without the need to resort to philosophy or engage in extensive intellectual reasoning.

The elements mentioned in this hadith following this fundamental principle are also central components of Islam. However, there is a clear distinction. Together, the things mentioned in the hadith form the well-known five pillars of Islam.

However, for a person to fulfil the very foundation of Islam and enter this religion in the first place, he must first worship his Creator alone while simultaneously abstaining from worshiping anything else – without exception. This point constitutes the first of the five pillars of Islam mentioned in the hadith. Only in this way can a person be a monotheist or become one.

If someone does not fulfil this central principle, then according to Islamic theology, he can undoubtedly not be considered a Muslim.