Who is a Muslim?
The literal meaning of Islam is peace, well-being, security and salvation. Islam is one’s submission to Allah with willing consent. The one who accepts Islam as his/her religion and live by its rules is called a Muslim.
A person is initiated to Islam by reciting the kalima shahadah; the meaning of which is as follows: “I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but Allah; and I also bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” The minimum requirement of being a Muslim is to believe the fundamental principles of Islam from the bottom of one’s heart. These are to believe in the existence and oneness of Allah, His angels, the divine books sent by Allah (s.w.t), His prophets, the hereafter and predestination. A mumin (true believer) is the one who has faith in these principles and the one who publicly affirms his/her belief to be known as a Muslim in this world.
A muslim is also a mumin because he/she accepts Islam with all his/her heart. The two words can be used interchangeably. The attributes of a mumin are mentioned in various places in the Quran. It is every mumin’s responsibility to embody the qualities mentioned in the holy book. It is not, however, always possible and easy to make it up for them due to deficiencies of human nature; and of course, Allah’s mercy and forgiveness is limitless. The Holy Quran mentions the prominent attributes of mumins as follows:
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, But [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/177)
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and Do not repel them but Speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” (Surat Al-’Isrā’ 17/23-24)
Who spend [in the cause of Allah ] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - And Allah loves the doers of good; And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - And who can forgive sins except Allah ? - And [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (Surat ‘Āli `Imrān, 3/134-135)
The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; And upon their Lord they rely - The ones who establish prayer, and from what We have provided them, they spend. (Surat Al-’Anfāl, 8/2-3)
Say, “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, And to parents, good treatment, And do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason.” And do not approach the orphan’s property except in a way that is best until he reaches maturity. And give full measure and weight in justice. We do not charge any soul except [with that within] its capacity. And when you testify, be just, even if [it concerns] a near relative. And the covenant of Allah fulfill. This has He instructed you that you may remember. And, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, So follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous. (Surat Al-’An`ām, 6/151-153)
Certainly will the believers have succeeded:They who are during their prayer humbly submissive; And they who turn away from ill speech;And they who are observant of zakah ; And they who guard their private parts. (Surat Al-Mu’minūn, 23/1-5)
And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer].And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence.”And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate. And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (Surat Al-Furqān, 25/63-68)
And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity. And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind. (Surat Al-Furqān, 25/72-73)
And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]. And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/42-43)
O you who have believed, Avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; Indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (Surat Al-Ĥujurāt, 49/12)
Say, [O believers], “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.” (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/136)
And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah , lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do. (Surat Al-’An`ām, 6/108)
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. (Surat At-Tawbah, 9/71)
Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing. (Surat An-Nisā’, 4/58)
O mankind, Eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/168)
And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive, And those who have responded to their lord and established prayer And whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, And from what We have provided them, they spend. And those who, when tyranny strikes them, they defend themselves, (Surat Ash-Shūraá, 42/37-39)
Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/156-157)
They used to sleep but little of the night, And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness, And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy] petitioner and the deprived. (Surat Adh-Dhāriyāt, 51/17-19)
[Such niches are] in mosques which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings [Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about -That Allah may reward them [according to] the best of what they did and increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account. (Surat An-Nūr, 24/36-38)
And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses. (Surat Al-Mā’idah, 5/83)
So whatever thing you have been given - it is but [for] enjoyment of the worldly life. But what is with Allah is better and more lasting For those who have believed and upon their Lord rely And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive, And those who have responded to their lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend.And those who, when tyranny strikes them, they defend themselves. (Surat Ash-Shūraá, 42/36-39)
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, A guidance for those conscious of Allah - Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2/2-4)