Andrew Hagen

In debates and discussions here in America, it is frequently said that the word Islam means “peace.” It does not. Islam is the Arabic word for “submission.” The Arabic word for “peace” is usually transliterated as salam or salaam. In Arabic, as in English, these are two distinct words. (*)

Sometimes Muslims and others call Islam a “religion of peace.” To the extent this may be a viable argument, it is so only in the sense that Islam is a peaceful religion, not that Islam “means peace.”

Obviously, if one completely submits to another, one will have peace, either through death or slavery. Neither is the usual meaning of “peace,” however.

Update: 3 December 2003. Allah Pundit links. (†)

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