The True Meaning of Being a Muslim – An Article by Maulana Maududi.
Summary of the article:
The article is structured around four logical blocks. First, it critiques three flawed approaches to belief and conduct: (1) absolute intellectual independence, where a person relies only on personal reason and desire; (2) selective religiosity, where religion is reshaped to fit one’s desires; and (3) blind imitation, where people follow ancestors, society, or dominant cultures without reflection. Maulana Maududi argues that all three lead to misguidance because either reason is overextended, corrupted by desires, or abandoned altogether. Qur’anic ayaat are then used to demonstrate how revelation condemns conjecture, desire-driven living, hypocrisy, and unthinking imitation.
The article then presents Islam as the balanced middle path (أُمَّةً وَسَطًا): a person must first use sound intellect honestly to recognize the truth of Allah, revelation, and Prophethood. But once conviction is reached, the role of intellect changes from judging revelation to understanding and implementing it. Islam therefore means conscious submission to Allah and His Messenger, Peace and blessings be upon him,rather than submission to desires, culture, or personal opinion. The practical action demanded is intellectual honesty before faith, followed by disciplined obedience after faith: measuring beliefs, morals, politics, and daily conduct against Qur’an and Sunnah instead of ego, social trends, nationalism, inherited customs, or modern ideologies.
Section 1: Three Misguided Approaches Towards Belief:
In our everyday speech, there are certain words and expressions that are commonly used by everyone, yet very few truly understand them. Frequent usage has fixed a general and vague meaning of these words in people’s minds. When a speaker utters these words, he intends that same vague meaning, and when a listener hears them, he understands that same general sense. But the deeper meanings for which the originator coined these words are unknown—not only to the ignorant, but even to many well-educated people.
Take, for example, the words “Islam” and “Muslim.” How frequently these words are spoken, and how completely they have taken over our tongues! Yet how many people are there who utter them thoughtfully? And how many listeners understand from them the very meaning for which these words were originally coined? Leave aside the non-Muslims. Among Muslims themselves, 99 percent—indeed even more—call themselves “Muslims” and describe their religion with the word Islam, yet they do not know what it means to be a Muslim or what the true meaning of the word “Islam” is. Let us spend a little time today explaining these very words.
If you observe people’s conditions in terms of belief and conduct, you will generally find three kinds of people:
- One group consists of those who openly believe in freedom of opinion and freedom of action. In every matter, they rely upon their own opinion. They consider only the judgments of their own intellect to be correct, and they adopt only those methods which, in their own view, are right. They have no concern whatsoever with following any religion.
- The second group consists of those who outwardly profess some religion, but in reality follow only their own ideas. They do not turn to religion for their beliefs and practical laws. Rather, according to the inclinations of their own nature, their interests, or their needs and desires, they establish certain beliefs in their minds, adopt certain methods of action, and then try to mold religion according to them. In truth, they are not followers of religion; rather, religion becomes their follower.
- The third group consists of those who do not use their own understanding at all. They suspend their intellect and blindly imitate others, whether those others are their forefathers or their contemporaries.
The first group is obsessed with the name of freedom, yet does not know its proper limits. Freedom of thought and action is undoubtedly correct to a certain extent, but when it exceeds its proper boundaries, it becomes misguidance. The person who relies solely upon his own opinion in every matter and follows only the judgment of his own intellect in every issue is actually under the false impression that his knowledge and intellect encompass all affairs of the world. He imagines that no reality or benefit is hidden from his sight; that he is fully aware of the ways and methods of every destination; that he understands the complexities of every path; and that he knows the end of every road just as he knows its beginning.
This claim to knowledge and wisdom is, in reality, a false delusion. If a human being were truly to make his intellect the judge, then intellect itself would say: “My blind follower assumes that I possess qualities which in reality I do not possess. The one who takes me alone as his guide, and traverses the path of life relying solely upon my guidance, can never remain safe from stumbles, slips, misguidance, and destruction.”
Such freedom of thought and action is also destructive for civilization and culture. Freedom demands that every individual hold whatever belief he personally thinks correct and follow whatever path his own intellect considers right. Civilization and culture, however, require that all the people within a social order agree upon a few foundational beliefs and ideas, and that in their practical lives they follow those specific customs, manners, and laws which have been established for organizing collective life.
Thus, there is an open contradiction between freedom of thought and action on one side and civilization and culture on the other. Freedom produces rebellion, lawlessness, and anarchy among individuals. Civilization demands from them obedience, conformity, and submission. Where complete freedom exists, civilization cannot exist; and where civilization exists, individuals must surrender a large degree of freedom in thought and action.
The condition of the second group is worse than that of the first. The first group is merely misguided. The second group, in addition to being misguided, is dishonest, hypocritical, deceitful, and corrupt in nature.
If a person, while remaining within the legitimate limits of interpretation, can create harmony between his religion and his own ideas and inclinations, then it is possible to combine freedom of thought and action with adherence to religion. If a person’s inclinations are contrary to religion, but despite that he still considers religion correct and his own inclinations wrong, then to some extent his claim that he truly believes in that religion may still be valid.
But if his beliefs and actions are openly contrary to the clear teachings of religion, and he considers his own ideas correct while considering the teachings of religion incorrect, and then still attempts to remain within the fold of religion by trying to prove that the religious teachings conform to his own thoughts and methods—then we will not call such a person foolish, because a fool is incapable of such cleverness. We are compelled to call him faithless. We are forced to conclude that he lacks the moral courage to openly rebel against religion; therefore, he adopts the path of hypocrisy and pretends to be a follower of religion.
Otherwise, what prevents him from abandoning a religion whose teachings contradict the judgments of his intellect, oppose his real thoughts and beliefs, and prevent him from following those ways upon which he sincerely wishes to walk and upon which he is in fact already walking?
The third group is the lowest of all in terms of intellectual rank. The error of the first two groups is that they use their intellect more than it is capable of bearing. The error of this group is that it does not use intellect at all—or uses it so little that it is as though it were not used at all.
What could be more shameful for a rational human being than to believe in a creed while possessing no proof for that belief except that his forefathers also held the same belief, or that some highly advanced nation also subscribes to it?
Likewise, the person who follows certain methods in religious or worldly matters merely because those methods have been inherited from his forefathers, or who adopts certain ways simply because they are common among the dominant nations of his age, is in reality proving that within his skull there is neither a functioning brain nor the capacity to think.
He possesses no internal power by which he can distinguish truth from falsehood. By chance he was born into a Hindu household, and therefore he considers Hinduism to be true. Had he been born into a Muslim home, he would have accepted Islam as true. Had he been the child of a Christian, he would have sacrificed himself for Christianity.
Likewise, it is merely coincidence that European nations dominate in his age, and therefore he considers European ways to be the standard of civilization. If the Chinese were dominant, then Chinese ways would certainly be the standard of civilization in his eyes. And if today the Abyssinians of Africa were to dominate the world, then there is no doubt that this weak-minded person would begin to regard Abyssinian culture as the very fragrance of humanity.
The truth is that the mere fact that something has been practiced by elders from ancient times, or that something is common in the world today, is not proof that it is correct or true. Foolishness existed in the world before, and foolishness still exists today. Our task is not to blindly imitate such foolishness.
Our task is not to close our eyes and begin following every ancient or modern practice, nor to attach ourselves to every traveler upon every road—whether he is heading toward thorns or toward a ditch.
Allah has given us intellect precisely so that we may distinguish good from evil in the world, examine and separate genuine from counterfeit, and carefully observe where a guide is headed before accepting him as our leader.
Section 2: Islam’s Perspective on these three groups:
Islam declares all three of these groups to be in error.
Regarding the first group, it says that such people neither accept anyone possessing light as a guide and leader, nor do they themselves possess the light of truth by whose illumination they may traverse the path. Their example is like that of a person walking in darkness merely by guesswork and speculation. It is possible that he may sometimes walk on the right path, and possible that he may fall into a pit somewhere—because conjecture is not certainty. Both correctness and error are possible within it, though error is far more likely.
Let us see this in the light of some Qur’anic ayaat.
1.
وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلّا يَخْرُصُونَ
(Surah Yunus 10:66)
Those who invoke others besides Allah as partners—do you know what they actually follow? They follow nothing but conjecture, and they proceed merely upon guesswork.
2.
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا
(Surah An-Najm 53:28)
They follow nothing but conjecture, and conjecture can never free one in the least from the truth.
3.
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى ٱلْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ أَمْ لِلْإِنسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ
(Surah An-Najm 53:23–24)
They follow nothing except conjecture and the desires of their souls, even though guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord. Does man have the right to claim as truth whatever he desires?
4.
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةًۭ فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ
(Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:23)
Have you seen the one who has taken his own desires as his god? Even though he possessed knowledge, Allah allowed him to go astray, sealed his hearing and his heart, and placed a covering over his eyes. Who then can guide him after Allah?
5.
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
(Surah Al-Qasas 28:50)
And who is more misguided than the one who follows his desires without guidance from Allah? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
At the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, the representatives of the second group were the Children of Israel. They used to call themselves followers of Moses and adherents of the Torah, yet in their beliefs and affairs they were largely opposed to the way of Musa (peace be upon him) and the teachings of the Torah.
What is more astonishing is that they were not even ashamed of this deviation. Instead of molding their thoughts and actions according to the Torah, they would alter the Torah verbally and in meaning in order to make it conform to their own ideas and practices. They concealed the original teachings of the Torah and presented their own views in such a way as though those were in fact the teachings of the Torah itself.
Those servants of Allah who warned them against this misguidance and invited them to follow divine revelation instead of their desires were abused by them, declared liars, and even killed.
Regarding them, the Qur’an says:
1.
يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَنَسُوا۟ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:13)
They distort words from their proper places, and they have forgotten a large portion of the admonition that was given to them. You continue to discover one act of treachery after another from them, except for only a few among them.
2.
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
(Surah Aal ‘Imran 3:71)
O People of the Book! Why do you mix truth with falsehood and knowingly conceal the truth?
3.
كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًۭا كَذَّبُوا۟ وَفَرِيقًۭا يَقْتُلُونَ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:70)
Whenever a messenger came to them with something contrary to their desires, they rejected some and killed others.
Then the Qur’an says to them plainly:
4.
لَسْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:68)
You are upon nothing at all until you truly uphold the Torah and the Gospel and that which has been revealed to you from your Lord (that is, the Qur’an).
Regarding the third group, the Qur’an says:
1.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:170)
And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say, “No, we shall follow that upon which we found our forefathers.” Even if their forefathers understood nothing and were not guided?
2.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ قَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:104)
And when it is said to them, “Come toward that which Allah has revealed and toward the Messenger,” they reply, “Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our forefathers.” Even if their forefathers knew nothing and were not guided?
3.
وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
(Surah Al-An‘am 6:116)
And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will lead you away from the path of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture, and their way is based entirely upon guesswork and speculation.
Those people who do not use their own intellect and understanding, who do not themselves examine and distinguish between falsehood and truth, and who blindly imitate others—the Qur’an describes them as blind, deaf, dumb, and devoid of reason:
صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:171)
Deaf, dumb, and blind—therefore they do not understand.
The Qur’an even compares them to cattle, rather, worse than cattle—because animals possess no intellect, whereas these people do possess intellect but do not use it:
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ كَٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْغَٰفِلُونَ
(Surah Al-A‘raf 7:179)
They are like cattle—rather, even more astray. They are the heedless ones.
Section 3: The Path of Islam
After rejecting all three of these groups, whose methods are based on excess and deficiency, the Qur’an seeks to establish a group of people who follow the path of moderation and balance:
أُمَّةً وَسَطًا
“A middle and balanced nation.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:143)
And:
قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ
“Firmly standing for justice.”
(Surah An-Nisa 4:135)
What is this path of moderation and balance?
It is this: First tear apart all those veils which ancient traditions and modern teachings have placed before your eyes. Open your eyes in the clear light of sound reason and see what is truth and what is falsehood.
Is atheism correct or belief in God? Is monotheism true or polytheism? Is mankind in need of divine guidance in order to walk the straight path, or not? Were the Prophets (peace be upon them) and Muhammad, peace and blessingss be upon him,truthful, or—God forbid—false? Is the path presented by the Qur’an straight or crooked?
If your heart bears witness that believing in God is precisely the demand of human nature, and that God is truly He who has no partner; if your conscience accepts that human beings certainly require the God-given light of guidance in order to find the straight path, and that this light is the very guidance brought by the true leaders of humanity—the Prophets (peace be upon them); if, upon observing the pure life of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, you become convinced that a person of such noble character could never deceive the world, and that when he claimed to be the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he was undoubtedly truthful in his claim; if, after studying the Qur’an, your intellect decides that the straight path for human belief and conduct is only that which this Book has presented, and that this Book is certainly the Book of Allah—then become believers in that truth to whose authenticity your conscience bears witness, without fear of the blame or opposition of the entire world, and after purifying your heart from fear of people and greed for worldly gain.
Then, once with the help of sound intellect you have distinguished between truth and falsehood, and after abandoning falsehood you have accepted the truth in faith, the task of intellect’s examination and criticism comes to an end.
After embracing faith, the authority to decide and command passes from intellect to Allah, His Messenger, and His Book. Your task now is no longer to judge independently, but to bow your head before every command that Allah and His Messenger, Peace and blessings be upon him,have given you.
You may use your intellect to understand those commands, to reach their subtleties and wisdoms, and to apply them to the details of your life. But you have no right to object to any divine command—whether or not you understand its wisdom; whether or not it satisfies the standards of your intellect; whether or not the statement of Allah and the command of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, conform to the customs and practices of the world.
In every case, your duty is to submit before it. For once you have accepted Allah, acknowledged the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, as the Messenger of Allah, and become convinced that whatever the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, presents is presented from Allah and not fabricated from his own desires:
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌ يُوحَىٰ
(Surah An-Najm 53:3–4)
And he does not speak from his own desire. It is nothing but revelation sent down to him.
Section 4: Attitude of a true Muslim
The rational requirement, then, of this conviction and affirmation is that you give preference to the judgments of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, over your own intellectual conclusions. You must stop measuring the beliefs and commands conveyed by the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, from Allah against the standards of your own intellect, knowledge, experiences, or the ideas and practices of other people.
The person who says, “I am a believer,” and then continues to object and argue, is himself contradicting his own claim. He does not understand that faith and objection are openly contradictory. He does not realize that discipline is established only through acceptance and obedience. Objection and argument are merely another name for disorder and anarchy.
This very path of moderation and balance is called Islam, and the group that follows this path is called Muslim.
Islam means submission, obedience, and surrender. A Muslim is one who accepts without objection the command of the One who commands and the prohibition of the One who forbids.
Thus, this very name itself reveals the reality that after abandoning those three groups and their methods, this fourth group has been established with a new way precisely so that it may obey the command of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and bow before it.
The task of this group is not that in every matter it should follow only its own intellect; nor that it should accept from divine commands only what suits its desires and reject whatever opposes them; nor that it should abandon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, in order to blindly imitate human beings, whether those humans are dead or alive.
Now, regarding this matter, the declarations of the Qur’an are absolutely clear. It says that when the command of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, arrives in any matter, believers no longer retain the option to accept or reject it:
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلًۭا مُّبِينًۭا
(Surah Al-Ahzab 33:36)
It is not for a believing man or believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should retain any choice in their affair. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has fallen into clear misguidance.
The Qur’an says that accepting part of the Book of Allah and rejecting another part is disgraceful both in this world and in the Hereafter:
أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍۢ ۚ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْىٌۭ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَشَدِّ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:85)
Do you believe in part of the Book and reject another part? The punishment for those among you who do such a thing is nothing except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be returned to the severest punishment. Allah is not unaware of what you do.
The Qur’an says that judgment must be made only according to the Book of Allah, whether or not it agrees with people’s desires:
فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:48)
So judge between them according to what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires in opposition to the truth that has come to you from Allah.
The Qur’an says that whoever does not judge according to what Allah has revealed is sinful:
وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:47)
And whoever does not judge according to what Allah has revealed—such are the defiantly disobedient.
And every judgment contrary to the divine Book is the judgment of ignorance:
أَفَحُكْمَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ ۚ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكْمًۭا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:50)
Do they then seek the judgment of the age of ignorance? And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who possess certainty?
The Qur’an further says:
“O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and those among you who are entrusted with authority. Then if you dispute concerning any matter, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best way and the best in outcome.
O Prophet! Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, yet they wish to refer their disputes for judgment to false authorities, even though they were commanded to reject them? Satan desires to lead them far astray.
And when it is said to them, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion…
(And tell them We did not send any Messenger except that
he should be obeyed by Allah’s permission…
No! By your Lord, they cannot truly become believers until they make you the judge in their disputes. Then they must find within themselves no discomfort regarding what you decide, but rather submit with complete submission.”
(Surah An-Nisa 4:59–60, 61, 64–65)
From these clarifications, the reason behind the names “Islam” and “Muslim” has become clear.
Now all those people who have registered themselves as Muslims in the census should reflect deeply upon the extent to which the word “Muslim” truly applies to them, and how far the path upon which they are walking can rightly be called Islam.
(Tarjumaanul-Qur’an, November 1933)