The Meaning of Muslim as Found in the Holy Quran and the Hadith:
by Soner Uguz

Since I joined the Ahmadiyya Movement, some so-called Muslims have started calling me kafir for some reason or another and the ones who always bring this accusation against me have been the ones who call themselves Salafees or who are otherwise known as Wahhabis. But the wise Muslims where I live accept me as a Muslim and have made me the muezzin (caller to prayer) and I sometimes act as Imam. I want to make it clear to those who have slandered me, and all those who oppose this Movement in general, that we bear witness to the fact that Allah is One and that Muhammad is His Messenger. Muhammad, we believe, is the last and final Messenger and Prophet after whom none can come, and we also believe that he is the greatest of all messengers. I will quote from the Holy Quran and the Hadith to show what Muslim means.

And when they (Jews) meet those who believe (Muslims), they say, We believe, but when they meet one another in private, they say, Shall you (Jews) tell them (Muslims) what Allah has revealed to you (Jews), about the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad, which are written in the Taurat (Torah), that they (Muslims) may argue with you (Jews) about it before your Lord? Have you (Jews) then no understanding? (2:76).

When his Lord said to him, Submit (i.e., be a Muslim)! He said, I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists) (2:131).

And this (submission to Allah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Yaqub (Jacob), (saying), O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims - Islamic Monotheism). (2:132).

Say (O Muslims), We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Yaqub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam) (2:136).

Or say you that Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Yaqub (Jacob)] were Jews or Christians? Say, Do you know better or does Allah (knows better… that they all were Muslims)? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony [i.e., to believe in Prophet Muhammad when he comes, written in their Books (See Verse 7:157)] he has from Allah? And Allah is not heedless of what you do (2:140).

The fools (pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) among the people will say, What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah [prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they were used to face in prayer. Say, (O Muhammad): To Allah belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way (2:142).

Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e., disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e., your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind (2:143).

Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know (2:261).

Then when Isa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: Who will be my helpers in Allah’s cause? Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e., we submit to Allah) (3:52).

Say (O Muhammad): O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (3:64).

Allah's Apostle said, "We (Muslims) are the last (people to come in the world) but (will be) the foremost (on the Day of Resurrection)." The same narrator told that the Prophet had said, "You should not pass urine in stagnant water which is not flowing then (you may need to) wash in it." (Category: Ablutions (Wudu). Narrated by: Abu Huraira; Book ref.: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 239.)

The Prophet said, "A wound which a Muslim receives in Allah's cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time of infliction; blood will be flowing from the wound and its colour will be that of the blood but will smell like musk." (Category: Ablutions (Wudu); Narrated by: Abu Huraira; Book ref.: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 238.)

The wives of the Prophet used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Madinah) to answer the call of nature at night. Umar used to say to the Prophet, "Let your wives be veiled," but Allah's Apostle did not do so. One night, Sauda bint Zam, a wife of the Prophet, went out at Isha time. She was a tall lady. Umar addressed her and said, "I have recognised you, O Sauda." He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) might be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of Al-Hijab. (Category: Ablutions (Wudu); Narrated by: Aisha; Book ref.: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 148.)

While Abu Bakr was leading the people in the morning prayer on a Monday, the Prophet came towards them suddenly, having lifted the curtain of Aisha's house, and looked at them as they were standing in rows and smiled. Abu Bakr tried to come back thinking that Allah's Apostle wanted to come out for the prayer. The attention of the Muslims was diverted from the prayer because they were delighted to see the Prophet. The Prophet waved his hand to them to complete their prayer, then he went back into the room and let down the curtain. The Prophet expired on that very day. (Category: Actions while Praying; Narrated by: Anas bin Malik; Book ref.: Volume 2, Book 22, Number 297.)

The Prophet said, "Abusing a Muslim is Fusuq (evil doing) and killing him is Kufr (disbelief)." (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abdullah; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 197.)

An army unit was being recruited from the people of Madinah and my name was written among them. Then I met Ikrima, and when I informed him about it, he discouraged me very strongly and said, "Ibn Abbas told me that there were some Muslims who were with the pagans to increase their number against Allah's Apostle (and the Muslim army) so arrows (from the Muslim army) would hit one of them and kill him or a Muslim would strike him (with his sword) and kill him." So Allah revealed: Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (by staying among the disbelievers) (4.97). (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abu Al-Aswad; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 207.)

The Prophet said, "None of you should point out towards his Muslim brother with a weapon, for he does not know, Satan may tempt him to hit him and thus he would fall into a pit of fire (Hell)". (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abu Huraira; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 193.)

The Prophet said, "If anyone of you passed through our mosque or through our market while carrying arrows, he should hold the iron heads." (He should hold (their heads) firmly with his hand lest he should injure one of the Muslims with it.) (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abu Musa; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 196.)

Allah's Apostle said, "There will come a time when the best property of a Muslim will be sheep which he will take to the tops of mountains and the places of rainfall so as to flee with his religion from afflictions." (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 210.)

Abu Musa and Abu Masud went to Ammar when Ali had sent him to Kufa to exhort them to fight (on Ali's side). They said to him, "Since you have become a Muslim, we have never seen you doing a deed more criticisable to us than your haste in this matter." Ammar said, "Since you (both) became Muslims, I have never seen you doing a deed more criticisable to me than your keeping away from this matter." Then Abu Masud provided Ammar and Abu Musa with two-piece outfits to wear, and one of them went to the mosque (of Kufa). (Category: Afflictions and the End of the World; Narrated by: Abu Wail; Book ref.: Volume 9, Book 88, Number 222.) 

So, from the Qur’an and Hadith it is obvious who is a Muslim, and we in the Ahmadiyya Movement accept all these ayats and hadith as sariffs as true and we try to the best of our ability to live according to them and we reject nothing that is part of Islam nor do we teach anything new.

May Allah help us and guide us in our endeavours. Amen.