Module 1:
What Islam Claims to Be

Module 1 introduces what Islam says about itself. It explains that Islam presents itself as one of the world’s major monotheistic religions, centered on belief in one God, the Qur’an as God’s revelation, and Muhammad as the final prophet. It also gives a broad overview of Islam’s global presence, its connection to earlier prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and its role as both a religion and a way of life that shapes belief, worship, ethics, and law.

The module also explains that Islam does not claim to be a brand-new religion, but rather the restoration and completion of the original message of submission to God that was taught by earlier prophets. It emphasizes Islam’s central claim of absolute monotheism (tawhid), the belief that the Qur’an is God’s final and perfectly preserved revelation, and the idea that Islam provides complete guidance for both private and public life. Overall, the module presents Islam as a faith that sees itself as universal, final, and rooted in total submission to the one true God.