1 What Islam Claims to Be
Islam claims to be submission to the one true God, not the invention of a new religion.
The word Islam comes from an Arabic root word s-l-m, which also relates to concepts of peace (salām) and safety. It refers to willingly submitting to God’s will.
Islam is not primarily defined by ethnicity, culture, or geography, but by obedience to God. Islam teaches that this same submission to God has existed since the beginning of humanity.
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Jesus is considered a prophet in Islam (we will look at this in more detail later). According to Islamic belief, God has always revealed His will through prophets, beginning with Adam and continuing through figures such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. These prophets are understood to have taught essentially the same core message: worship God alone, obey Him, and live righteously.
Islam claims that these teachings were the original true teachings of God that were later misunderstood, altered, or mixed with human traditions.
Muhammad therefore did not introduce a new religion, but he was sent to restore and finalize the original message.
Muslims believe that Muhammad received direct revelation from God, which was recorded and preserved in the Qur’an.
Islam teaches that the Qur’an corrects theological errors that developed over time and reasserts strict monotheism. Because of this, Islam presents itself as standing in continuity with Judaism and Christianity while also claiming to clarify where those traditions went astray.
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A central claim of Islam is absolute monotheism, known as tawḥīd. God is one, indivisible, incomparable, and unique. He has no partners, no children, and does not enter creation in human form. Preserving God’s oneness is the most important duty, and anything that compromises it is considered a serious violation.
Islam also claims to be God’s final and complete revelation to humanity. Muhammad is regarded as the last prophet, meaning no further prophets or scriptures will come after him. The Qur’an is believed to be the final, authoritative word of God, intended for all people, not just a specific nation or tribe. This finality is essential to how Islam understands truth, authority, and religious obligation.
Another key claim is that the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved. Islam teaches that God Himself has protected the text from corruption, ensuring that the message remains intact and accessible. Because of this, Islam asserts that humanity has clear guidance and that confusion about God’s will is not due to a lack of revelation but to human resistance or misunderstanding.
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Finally, Islam claims to be a complete way of life, not merely a private belief system. It provides guidance not only on worship and personal morality, but also on family relationships, economic behavior, social justice, and law. These teachings are derived primarily from the Qur’an and from the Hadith, which record the words and actions of Muhammad as a model for applying God’s guidance in everyday life.
To understand Islam’s theology, law, and moral system, it is necessary to first understand how Islam defines God. Next, we will look at the Islamic view of God.