Table of Contents
Identity Defined by Submission
In the most basic terms, a Muslim is a person who submits to Allah alone, believes in what He has revealed, and follows His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ. The word “Muslim” itself means “one who submits” and this submission is both inward in the heart and outward on the tongue and limbs.
Allah describes the identity of believers in clear and simple words.
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
(Qur’an 3:19)
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
(Qur’an 3:85)
These verses show that what matters to Allah is not labels given by people, but sincere adherence to Islam, which is submission to Allah.
The Core of Being a Muslim: Faith and Testimony
At the heart of being a Muslim is a specific belief and a specific declaration. The belief is that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His final Messenger. The declaration of this belief is called the shahadah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, and give the zakah. If they do that, their blood and wealth are protected from me except by right of Islam, and their account is with Allah.”
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith shows three core elements of entering Islam: the testimony of faith, acceptance of its basic obligations, and leaving judgment of the inner heart to Allah.
A Muslim is, in the legal and religious sense, anyone who:
- Affirms with conviction that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger.
- Pronounces this testimony (shahadah) when able.
Whoever fulfills this, even if they are weak in practice, is counted among the Muslims in this world, and is treated as a Muslim regarding Islamic rulings in this life.
The Shahādah as the Door to Islam
The formal entry into Islam happens through the shahadah, the testimony of faith. It has two parts:
- “Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allah”
I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah. - “Wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūl Allah”
And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Allah commands all people to believe in Him and His Messenger.
“So believe in Allah and His Messenger, and in the light which We have sent down. And Allah is All‑Aware of what you do.”
(Qur’an 64:8)
Whoever accepts and sincerely declares this testimony has crossed from disbelief into Islam, no matter what their previous background, culture, or sins were.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever says, ‘Lā ilāha illā Allah’ and rejects whatever is worshipped besides Allah, his wealth and blood become protected, and his reckoning is with Allah.”
(Muslim)
This explains that the decisive line is between worship of Allah alone and any form of worship of others beside Him.
Inner Belief and Outward Identity
Islam looks at both the inner state of the heart and the outward state of the person. To be a Muslim in truth, a person must have genuine belief in the heart. To be treated as a Muslim by others in this world, certain outward signs must be present.
Allah says about people who sincerely believe:
“The Bedouins say, ‘We have believed.’ Say, ‘You have not (yet) believed; but say (instead), ‘We have submitted (as Muslims),’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you of your deeds in anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
(Qur’an 49:14)
This verse shows a distinction between deep, perfected faith in the heart and the basic outward state of being a Muslim. A person can be counted among the Muslims even if their faith is not yet strong.
The Prophet ﷺ also spoke about people who outwardly belong to Islam but whose inner reality only Allah knows.
“I have not been ordered to split open the hearts of people nor to cut open their bellies.”
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)
This teaches that human beings judge by what is apparent, such as the shahadah and the general practice of Islam, and leave the hidden reality of hearts to Allah.
Who Is Counted as a Muslim in This World?
From the perspective of Islamic law and daily life, the following general picture applies.
First, anyone who openly declares the shahadah is a Muslim, regardless of their previous religion or lack of religion. The companions of the Prophet ﷺ accepted people into Islam based on their clear testimony.
“O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, test them. Allah is most knowing of their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers…”
(Qur’an 60:10)
The verse shows that people can be known as believers and treated as such, while Allah alone knows the full truth of their faith.
Second, children born to Muslim parents are raised as Muslims and are considered Muslim by default. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every child is born upon the fitrah, then his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or a Magian.”
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith shows that the natural state is one of readiness to recognize Allah. When a child is born into a Muslim family, that natural state combines with the environment that teaches Islam, so the child is regarded as Muslim.
Third, a person who lives among Muslims, prays with them, and is known to identify as a Muslim is treated as a Muslim. When he ﷺ was asked about fighting a man who said “Lā ilāha illā Allah,” he warned strongly against harming such a person.
The Prophet ﷺ said to Usamah ibn Zayd after Usamah killed a man in battle who had said “Lā ilāha illā Allah”:
“Did you kill him after he said ‘Lā ilāha illā Allah’?”
Usamah said: “O Messenger of Allah, he only said it to protect himself.”
The Prophet ﷺ repeated, “Did you kill him after he said ‘Lā ilāha illā Allah’?” until Usamah wished he had not become Muslim before that day.
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)
This shows that the outward declaration of faith is a serious boundary that must be respected.
In worldly matters, anyone who clearly identifies as Muslim, declares the shahadah, and does not openly deny the basics of Islam is treated as a Muslim. Their inner sincerity and exact level of faith are left to Allah.
Muslims, Sinners, and Hypocrites
Not every Muslim is the same in faith or practice. Some are strong in obedience, others are weak and fall into sins. Yet as long as a person does not reject the truth of Islam or its foundations, their sins do not remove them from the fold of Islam.
Allah speaks about sinful believers while still calling them “those who believe.”
“O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance…”
(Qur’an 66:8)
He calls them believers, even though they are being commanded to make sincere repentance. This confirms that sinners do not automatically leave Islam.
At the same time, the Qur’an mentions a group called “hypocrites,” those who pretend to be Muslim while hiding disbelief inside.
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will not find for them any helper.”
(Qur’an 4:145)
The existence of hypocrisy shows that merely appearing Muslim does not always mean true faith in the heart. However, because hearts are hidden, ordinary Muslims do not go searching for hypocrisy in others. They deal with people according to what is apparent and leave the unseen to Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have not been ordered to check what is in the hearts of people, nor to split open their bellies.”
(Muslim)
In simple terms, a believer might commit sins yet remain a Muslim. A hypocrite might look outwardly Muslim yet lack faith. Judging who is who is not the job of ordinary believers, and the detailed rules about disbelief, hypocrisy, and judgment belong in their own discussions.
The Universal Invitation
Being a Muslim is not tied to a race, tribe, language, or country. Islam is open to every human being. Allah addresses all of humanity with one invitation.
“O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.”
(Qur’an 2:21)
He also describes the believers as a single brotherhood, regardless of their background.
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.”
(Qur’an 49:10)
Once someone becomes Muslim, they enter this brotherhood. Their previous sins and identity as a non‑Muslim are not held against them in the sight of Allah if their repentance is sincere.
The Prophet ﷺ said to a new Muslim:
“Do you not know that Islam destroys what came before it?”
(Muslim)
This means that embracing Islam wipes away past disbelief and major sins, and gives the person a new beginning with Allah.
Respecting the Name “Muslim”
The name “Muslim” carries honor because it is chosen by Allah. He called the followers of true submission by this name.
“He (Allah) has named you Muslims before and in this (Qur’an), that the Messenger may be a witness over you and that you may be witnesses over the people.”
(Qur’an 22:78)
Because this name comes from Allah, it should be used with care. It should not be restricted to a particular ethnicity or group. Nor should it be taken away from someone lightly just because of their sins or disagreements.
It is a serious matter to deny the name “Muslim” to someone who openly professes Islam without clear proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah. The basic rule is to accept the claim of Islam and leave the inner state to Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ warned:
“If a man says to his brother, ‘O disbeliever,’ then it returns upon one of them.”
(Al‑Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith shows the danger of accusing another Muslim of disbelief. It reminds us that recognizing who is a Muslim is not about harsh judgment, but about mercy, caution, and respect for what Allah has made sacred.
The Simple Answer
To sum up in simple words: a Muslim is anyone who sincerely believes in Allah as the only true God, accepts Muhammad ﷺ as His final Messenger, declares this testimony, and does not deny the basics of Islam. Such a person belongs to the community of Islam, enjoys its rights, carries its responsibilities, and stands before Allah as one of those who submitted to Him.
The detailed levels of faith, the difference between Islam, iman, and ihsan, and how faith increases and decreases, all build on this basic definition and will be discussed in their proper places. Here, it is enough to remember that the door to being a Muslim is open, clear, and simple for anyone who wishes to walk through it.