Etymology and meaning of Islam

Islam is a verbal noun originating from the triliteral root s-l-m which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of wholeness, submission, safeness and peace. In a religious context it means "voluntary submission to Allah". Islām is the verbal noun of Form IV of the root, and means "submission" or "surrender". Muslim, the word for an adherent of Islam, is the active participle of the same verb form, and means "one who submits" or "one who surrenders". Believers demonstrate submission to Allah by serving Allah, following his commands, and rejecting polytheism. The word sometimes has distinct connotations in its various occurrences in the Quran(holy book of islam). In some verses, there is stress on the quality of Islam as an internal conviction: "Whomsoever Allah desires to guide, He opens his heart to Islam." Islam, by its own inner logic, embraces every possible facet of existence, for Allah has named Himself al-Muḥīṭ, the All-Embracing.

Other verses connect Islām and dīn (usually translated as "religion"): "Today, I have perfected your religion (dīn) for you; I have completed My blessing upon you; I have approved Islam for your religion." Still others describe Islam as an action of returning to Allah—more than just a verbal affirmation of faith.In the Hadith of Gabriel, islām is presented as one part of a triad that includes imān (faith), and ihsān (excellence), where islām is defined theologically as Tawhid, historically by asserting that Muhammad is messenger of Allah, and doctrinally by mandating five basic and fundamental pillars of practice.

Islam was historically called Muhammadanism in Anglophone societies. This term has fallen out of use and is sometimes said to be offensive because it suggests that a human being rather than Allah is central to Muslims' religion, parallel to Jesus Christ in Christianity. Some authors, however, continue to use the term Muhammadanism as a technical term for the religious system as opposed to the theological concept of Islam that exists within that system.