This label is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer ignorance. In the past, even though you don’t see it as much today, the word “Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God.Ī Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans.
If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World – from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia – it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities.įrom the very beginning, Islaam had a universal message for all people. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world’s Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim.
The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who submits to the will of God”.
