True Islam and a Real Mumin (Believer)

true-islam-and-a-real-mumin-(believer)
Author ::
Mar 26, 2026
visibility 9 Read

-Maulana Abdur Rahman


The word Muslim means someone who submits wholeheartedly to the commands, laws, and decrees of Allah—that is, someone who accepts them sincerely. It is complete surrender to the will of Allah, being obedient to Him. In simple terms, it is willingly giving up one’s own freedom and desires before Allah. Deen (religion) is the way of life based on Allah’s commands; establishing it in society brings about Islam, meaning peace.

 

A person who entrusts all aspects of their life to Allah is a true Muslim. On the other hand, someone who lives according to their own whims or delegates their decisions to anyone other than Allah is not a true Muslim.

 

Complete submission to Allah means accepting fully, without objection, the path and rulings He revealed through His Book (the Qur’an) and His Prophet. Following the ideals of the Qur’an and the Prophet (SAW) in every step and every act of life is the primary duty of a Mumin (believer).

 

Who are true Muslims?
A true Muslim is someone who seeks guidance from Allah’s Book and the Hadith of the Prophet at every step of life. They constantly ask themselves, “What should I do now, and what should I avoid?” Whenever they find a correct ruling or guidance, they accept it without hesitation and reject anything contrary to it.

 

Conversely, a person who follows their own desires or drifts along with the world cannot be a true Muslim. Even if such a person claims to be a Muslim but refuses to follow the Qur’an or Hadith because of personal conscience or inherited customs, they are not truly Muslim.

 

Some Misconceptions in Practicing Islam
Today, Islam is often confined to a set of rituals. Many people think that performing certain personal acts of worship alone constitutes Islam. As a result, a person’s life becomes divided into two parts:

 

  1. Performing acts of worship devotedly at specific times.
  2. Ignoring Allah’s commands in other areas of life, thereby engaging in shirk (associating partners with Allah), kufr (disbelief), and haram (prohibited) actions.

However, the Companions (Sahaba) surrendered their entire being to Allah. Their thoughts, decisions, and actions in all aspects of life were governed solely by Allah’s commands and prohibitions. The Qur’an states:

"Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but truly righteous is he who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets; and spends wealth out of love for Him on relatives, orphans, the needy, travelers, beggars, and for freeing captives; and establishes prayer and gives zakah; and those who fulfill their promises and are patient in poverty, hardship, and in battle. These are the truthful and righteous." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 177)

From Hazrat Anas (RA), the Prophet (SAW) said that merely aspiring to be a Mumin or outwardly resembling a believer does not create true faith. Rather, faith (iman) is a firm belief rooted fully in the heart, and all actions testify to its sincerity.

 

Complete Entry into Islam
Allah commands: “O you who have believed, enter fully into Islam.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 208)

Complete entry into Islam means following its rulings in every aspect of life. One cannot pick and choose which laws to follow. Islam must be accepted as a complete way of life. A Mumin’s statement would be:

"Indeed, my prayer, my acts of worship, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who has no partner. This is how I have been commanded, and I am the first to submit and obey." (Surah Al-An’am: 162-163)

 

A true Muslim does not step outside obedience to Allah even for a moment. They strive to remain free from shirk until death and are committed to steadfastly follow Islam. Allah says:

"O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims." (Surah Al-Imran: 102)

Difference Between a Mumin and a Kafir
In the sight of Allah, people are of two types. The Qur’an says: “He created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some are believers.” (Surah At-Taghabun: 2)

 

To be a true Muslim, one must have a clear understanding of kufr (disbelief) and Islam. Refusing to follow Allah’s command is kufr. Obeying Allah’s command and rejecting any law or rule contrary to the Qur’an is the hallmark of a Mumin. The Qur’an makes this distinction clear. Allah says:

"Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are the disbelievers." (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 44)

On the other hand, Allah describes the believers: “Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and do not doubt, and strive in Allah’s cause with their wealth and their lives, they are the truthful.” (Surah Al-Hujurat: 15)

 
 

Images Related to this Post

Leave a Comment