If you want to submit to Islam, then you should know that Islam is an Arabic word. It Literally means submission. The “to who’ and ‘to what’ one must submit in Islam are the will and pleasure of Allah.
The required type of submission in Islam is a total submission of the heart, mind, body, and soul.
Who is the believer
The believer in and practitioner of Islam is known as a Muslim. The words ‘Muslim’ and ‘Islam’ derive from the same Arabic root word. ‘Muslim’ literally means ‘one who submits’. That means one who wholly submits to Allah. ‘Submission’ is the primary definition associated with the etymology of the word ‘Islam’. There is also a secondary definition, which is ‘peace’. Thus, it is only with full and complete submission to Allah that a Muslim experiences true spiritual peace.
Does the Torah fit in Islam?
Islam acknowledges that a book of revelations, known as the Torah, was given by Allah to Moses. It maintains that the original Torah of Moses was subsequently adulterated. Muslims assert that the Torah, as we know it, is a weak and misleading echo of the original revelation. The five books known as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy make up the Torah.
Do Christian scriptures fit in Islam?
Muslims assert Christian scriptures maintain Jesus echoed Deuteronomy 6:5. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.’ Thus Christians also mandate a total submission to Allah.
Muslims also assert further Christian expression of the need to submit to Allah can be found in the New Testament. From James 4:7-8: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God… Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you’. Islamic adherents assert this verse shows the need to submit totally to Allah.
Muslims assert the intention finds its clearest expression in the Quran, Quran 3:20: “So if they dispute with thee, say: ‘I have submitted my whole self to Allah, and so have those who follow me.’”
The people of the book?
The position of Islam is the majority of the children of Israel did not submit to Allah. This has resulted initially in the formation of Judaism. Subsequently Christianity was formed. Muslims assert the Bible records that Prophet David spoke the following words of revelation from Allah. From Psalms 81:10-11: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.’
Muslims assert it was the failure to submit to Allah which resulted in the formation of both Judaism and Christianity. The Quran records the following words of Allah from Quran3:19, “The religion before (in the sight of) Allah is Islam (submission to His will): nor did the people of the book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account.” The phrase ‘People of the Book’ denotes Jews and Christians. That means those who had received earlier books of revelation, but failed to keep those books of revelation in their original and pristine state.
When did Islam begin?
Most non-Muslims believe that Islam began in the seventh century with the preaching of Prophet Muhammad. Muslims reject this. They believe that Islam began at the dawn of mankind with Adam and his wife being the first persons to practice Islam. As proof they cite Quran 20:115: “We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve.”
Muslims also believe that Islam has been given to mankind as a progressive revelation. The core of that revelation; there is no god but Allah, has never changed. The revelation was only completed and finalized with the last revelation given to the Prophet Muhammad which is from Quran 5:3: “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Conclusion
So You Want to Submit to Islam, then you should know: There is no free will. There are only three outcomes: submission, death or slavery. As-salamu alaykum.