Islam

Step 3: Submitting our will.

Faith in Islam is called Iman. It requires complete submission to the will of God (Allah) which includes belief, profession, and full commitment to Allah's will. Iman has two aspects: recognizing and affirming that there is only one Creator of the universe and worshipping only this Creator. According to Islamic thought, this comes naturally because faith is an instinct of the human soul. The other aspect is willingness and a commitment to Allah and His prescriptions for living.

Submission to Allah have four key components:

Remembering Allah often(dhikr)
Belief and adherence to the teachings of the Prophet(s)
Repentance in order to receive forgiveness from Allah and salvation
Performance of good works

Text or Verse

Tell them: "O people of the Book,
let us come to an agreement on that which is common between us,
that we worship no one but God,
and make none His peer,
and that none of us take any others for lord apart from God."
If they turn away you will tell them:
"Bear witness that we submit to Him."
The Qur'an 3:64

Practice

Remembrance of Allah (dhikr) can take many forms, but the most common is repetition of simple praises which can be repeated during every day activities.

"All praise is due Allah" (alhamdulillah)

If we practice dhikr and hold the essence of the praise in our hearts, we can transcend worldly attachments and cravings and live in the ways demonstrated by the Prophet(s).

Resources

IMAN, Iranian Muslim Organization of North America (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

IMAAM Indonesian Muslim Association in America (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

Islamic Center of America (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

Islamic Foundation (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

Nation of Islam Study Center (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

Qur'an (to order) - Islamic Discovery (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)

U.S. Organization of Islam (go to Links menu to connect to the web site)