Islam

Definition of "Islam"

(Lit. submission to Allah) The religion of Allah (God) i. e. the worship of Allah alone. Islam is (1) shahadah i. e. testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, (2) establishing Salah i. e. prescribed prayer, (3) paying Zakah i. e. giving a portion of one's wealth to the needy, (4) the Sawm of Ramadan i. e. fasting during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and (5) Hajj i. e. making pilgrimage to the sacred precincts of Makkah (Mecca) in Arabia once in a lifetime if one is able. A person whose religion is Islam is a Muslim. A person becomes Muslim by declaring the shahadah i.e. " Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah" ("I tesify that there is nothing rightfully worshipped except Allah and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah").