Islam is the religion of submitting to the One God — Allah — in peace and sincerity. The word Islam itself comes from the Arabic root meaning both "peace" and "submission": an inner peace that comes from devoting one's life to the Creator.
A person who follows Islam is called a Muslim — "one who submits to God." Muslims believe in the same One God worshipped by the Prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all), and that Islam is the completion of that same eternal message.
Islam is not a new or foreign faith, but the final chapter of God's guidance to humanity, sent through His last Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ, in the 7th century.
Allah is simply the Arabic word for God — the same word used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. Muslims believe Allah is the One, Eternal Creator of everything: with no partner, no son, no equal, and nothing like Him.
"Say, He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him." — Qur'an 112 (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ)
He is the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate — closer to us than our own jugular vein — and it is to Him alone that worship is directed.
Muslims believe that Allah sent Prophets to every nation to call people back to Him. The final Prophet was Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him), born in Makkah, who received the Qur'an over 23 years.
He was known even before prophethood as al-Amīn — "the Trustworthy." His life — his honesty, mercy, justice, and worship — is the living example (Sunnah) that Muslims strive to follow.
Muslims honor all the Prophets before him — including Jesus (ʿĪsā) and Moses (Mūsā), peace be upon them — and consider belief in them part of the faith.
At the heart of Islam are six core beliefs that every Muslim holds:
If the articles of faith are what a Muslim believes, the Five Pillars are how a Muslim lives — the foundation of worship and practice.
Becoming a Muslim begins with a single, sincere testimony of faith:
Lā ilāha illā Allāh, Muḥammadun rasūlu Allāh
"I testify that there's no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Whether you're exploring Islam, considering it for yourself, or simply want to understand your neighbors better — you are warmly welcome at our masjid. Come visit, ask questions, and meet the community. There is never any pressure.