Islam_in_Focus_text

God to many prophets of different nations at different times,
including Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, David, Moses, Jesus,
and Muhammad (peace be upon them). What is more impor-
tant is that Muslims believe in them without discrimination
against any.
Because of their universal outlook and cosmopolitan or-
ientation, the Muslims sorrowfully consider it an unfortunate
misnomer to call them Mohammedans and their faith Mo-
hammedanism. The implications are distasteful and for good
reasons. Muslims do not think of themselves as a racial or
ethnic group with any exclusive monopolies. Their Religion
is not named after a given man or a particular place; it is
transcendent and temporal.
The proper name of the Religion is Islam and its follow-
ers are properly called Muslims. In the religious context, the
word Islam means submission to the Will of God and obedi-
ence to God's Law. The Will of God is defined by the Qur'an
as Good and Compassionate, and His Law as the most Be-
neficent and Equitable. Any human being who so submits
and obeys is, therefore, a Muslim in a moral state of Islam. It
is in this sense that the Qur'an calls Abraham and alt authen-
tic prophets Muslims and designates their religions by one
and the same title, namely Islam. Hence, the Muslim is not
only a follower of Muhammad exclusively; he also follows
Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the rest of God' s messengers.