Islam

/ˈɪzlɑm/

/ˈɪzlɑm/

Other forms: Islams

Islam is the name of the religion that Muslims practice. A follower of Islam believes that the Qur'an is the word of God.

If you practice Islam, you're a member of a religion that places great importance on serving God and following Islamic law. Islam is believed by Muslims to be the ultimate religion, revealed over time by many prophets, including Abraham and Jesus. The root of the word Islam is the Arabic islam, or "submission to God's will," from aslama, "he resigned, he surrendered, he submitted."

Definitions of Islam

1. noun

   the monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran
   synonyms: Islamism, Mohammedanism, Muhammadanism, Muslimism

   types:

   Mahdism

   belief in the appearance of the Mahdi; devotion to a Mahdi

   Salafi movement, Salafism

   a militant group of extremist Sunnis who believe themselves the only correct interpreters of the Koran and consider moderate Muslims to be infidels; seek to convert all Muslims and to insure that its own fundamentalist version of Islam will dominate the world

   Shiism

   the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs

   Wahabism, Wahhabism

   a conservative and intolerant form of Islam that is practiced in Saudi Arabia

   Ismailism

   the branch of Shiism noted for its esoteric philosophy

   type of:

   monotheism

   belief in a single God
2. noun

   the civilization of Muslims collectively which is governed by the Muslim religion
   “Islam is predominant in northern Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Indonesia”

   synonyms: Muslimism

   type of:

   civilisation, civilization

   a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)