Who is a Muslim?

Who is a Muslim?

A Muslim (Arabic: مُسلِم), is a person who believes in the teachings of the religion of Islam and strives to act upon those beliefs. In a literal sense, a Muslim means one who submits with total acceptance and obedience to God’s commands.

The conversion process of becoming a Muslim is achieved simply by reciting the two testimonies of faith, known as the Shahadatayn, with belief and acknowledgment. However, living the life of a Muslim involves effort and perseverance. In addition to fulfilling one’s religious obligations, such as the daily prayers, fasting, paying charity, going to Hajj, and so forth, the Holy Prophet and his successors describe who a true Muslim is and what standards a Muslim should live up to: 

• According to narration from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) “A Muslim is one who people are saved from his tongue and bad action” His grandson, Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (p), describes a higher level, saying “and a believer is one who people can entrust with their own money and lives.”[1]
• Imam Ali (p) states, “Develop in your heart the feeling of love for your people and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing to them, … Remember that people (citizens) are of two categories, they are either your brethren in religion or your brethren in humanity.”[2]

Therefore, genuine Muslims are known to others for their peace, mercy, truthfulness, trustworthiness, loyalty, and the rest of the qualities of virtue just like Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) and his holy progeny (p), the role models of Islam.

References

[1] al-Mohammadi, “Mizan al-Hikmah”, v.2, p.1340

[2] al-Sharif al-Radi:, “Nahj al-Balaghah”, Letter 53