The term Islam is derived from the root Silm which signifies
peace - peace with Allah as well as with all the creatures.
Technically speaking, Islam means "full submission to the Will
of Almighty God in all walks of Life". Every Muslim must
confess and affirm the fact that there is none worthy of
worship and obedience except Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be
upon him) is his slave and Messenger.
Along with the confession
of this basic kalimah, a Muslim has to declare his faith in the
angles, in all the prophets, in the revealed scriptures, in the
day of judgement, and in taqdir (predestination). In the
following pages, some details have been provided for the common
readers, Muslims as well as non-Muslims, about the basic
principles of Islamic faith.
Belief in the Hereafter is one of the basic and most
important articles of Islamic faith. It is essential for every
Muslim to have complete faith in the day of Judgement. It means
that a time will come when, by the command of Allah all the
living beings including human beings shall die, the entire
universe will perish, mountains will fly like cotton flakes,
and the stars will disintegrate and fall down, thus every
thing will shatter and perish. This process of disintegration
will start with the blowing of trumpet by the Angel Israfil.
Its sound will be so frightening and so powerful that its shock
will kill every living being and every existing thing will
shatter and perish. Again after indefinite period of time, by
the command of Allah, Angel Israfil will blow the trumpet for
the second time when all things will come to life once again.
The human beings will also come to life and will appear before
Allah. All shall be called to account, and good and bad deeds
will be paid for. That day is called ,
Yaum al-hashr (the day of gathering and resurrection),
Yaum al-hisab (the day of reckoning),
Yaum al-jaza' and yum al-din (the day of reward and recompense).
That day the righteous people will receive reward for their faith and good deeds and will enter into paradise while the unbelievers and the disobedient will be punished for their kufr (unbelief) and disobedience.
It is essential for a Muslim to believe in Taqdir. It
means that Allah has an estimation and pre-knowledge of
everything, good or bad, and He has full and pre-knowledge of
his creation even before He brings them into existence. This
estimation or pre-knowledge of Allah is known as Taqdir, Fate
or destiny.