Seeing as to how during the time when the Qur’an was being revealed...
Seeing as to how during the time when the Qur’an was being revealed, the meaning of a Mulhid (atheist) was a person who did not believe in a Creator, in most cases, the word Islam was used as an opposite to Shirk and a Muslim was used as an opposite to a Mushrik.
Pay attention to the following verses of the Qur’an: قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَلاٌ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيـنَ “Say (O’ Muhammad): "Certainly I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit (to Allah (in Islam)) and unquestionably not to be of those who join (gods) with Allah.” [^2] فَإِلٌهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وٌاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِـتِينَ “So then your god is One God: submit then your will (entire presence) to Him (in Islam): and give the good news (O’ Muhammad) to those who humble themselves.” [^3] مٌا كٌانَ إِبْرٌاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلاٌ نَصْرٌانِيًّا وَلٌكِنْ كٌانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمٌا كٌانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيـنَ “(Prophet) Ibrahim was not a Jew, nor was he a Christian; but he was true in faith (Hanif) and he bowed his will (entire presence) to Allah (in Islam), and he was not of those who joined gods (with Allah).” [^4] نَعْبُدُ إِلٌـهَكَ وَإِلٌـهَ آبٌائِكَ إِبْرٌاهِيمَ وَإِسْمٌاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ إِلٌـهاً وٌاحِداً وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ “We shall worship your God and the God of your fathers, of Ibrahim and Isma`il and Ishaq - the one (True) God (Allah) and to Him do we all submit (in Islam).” [^5] قُلْ إِنَّمٌا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمٌا إِلٌهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وٌاحِدٌ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ “Say (O’ Muhammad): ‘That which has been revealed to me (from Allah) is that your God is the One God (Allah): will you then be of those who submit to him as Muslims (in Islam)?” [^6] لاٌ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ بِذٌالِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَ أَنٌا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ “He has no partners and to this I have been commanded and I am the first of those who submit (one of the Muslims).” [^7] لاٌ إِلٌـهَ إِلاٌّ الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرٌائِيلَ وَأَنٌا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ “There is no god except Him Whom the Children of Isra’il believe in and I am one of those who submit (to Allah in Islam).” [^8] By paying close attention to these verses that present the meaning of Islam and all the derivatives that come from this word, we see that truly this word means humility to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and turning away from all forms of polytheism and diverging thoughts.
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