Aslim Taslam

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Aslim Taslam (Arabic: أسلم تسلم) is a phrase meaning "accept Islam and you will be saved". that was taken from the letters sent by the Islamic prophet Muhammad to various kings and rulers in which he urged them to convert to Islam.

Letters of Muhammad

Muhammad sent ambassadors with such letters to Heraclius the emperor of Byzantium, Chosroes II the emperor of Persia, the Negus of Ethiopia, Muqawqis the ruler of Egypt, Harith Gassani the governor of Syria and Munzir ibn Sawa the ruler of Bahrain. The account as transmitted by Muslim historians reads as follows:

The letter to Chosroes II is similar except that it refers to Magians instead of the Arisiyin.

References in Hadith

Sahih Muslim narrates in Kitab Al-Jihad wa'l-Siyar (The Book of Jihad and Expedition) Book 19, Number 4294, Chapter 2: Appointment of the Leaders of Expeditions by the Imam and His Advice to Them on Etiquettes of War and Related Matters: "Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them.

In Kitab Al-Iman (The Book of Faith), Book 1, Number 29, Chapter 9, the same author narrates: Command for Fighting Against the People So Long as They Do Not Profess That There is No God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger: 'Umar b. Khattab said to Abu Bakr: "...the Messenger of Allah Muhammad declared: I have been directed to fight against people so long as they do not say: There is no god but Allah...

Sahih Bukhari states in Volume 4, Book 52, Number 187 and 191, that 'Abdullah bin Abbas narrates: "Allah's Apostle (Muhammad) wrote a letter to Caesar saying, 'If you reject Islam, you will be responsible for the sins of the peasants (i.e. your people).'

Sahih Bukhari also states in Volume 4, Book 52, Number 196, that 'Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' and whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' his life and property will be saved by me except for Islamic law, and his accounts will be with Allah, (either to punish him or to forgive him.)"

Imam Malik narrates in al-Muwatta, Book 21, Number 21.3.11: "Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to one of his governors, It has been passed down to us that when the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad), may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent out a raiding party, he would say to them, 'Make your raids in the name of Allah in the way of Allah. Fight whoever denies Allah'". (See also Itmam al-hujjah.)

Dawa/Dawah

The word "Da'wah" in Arabic simply means to invite (call) to something. When it is used in conjunction with Islam it is understood to mean "Inviting to the Way of submission and surrender to Allah." Dawah is an obligation for all Muslims.

Critical responses

In response to the aslim taslam invitation to submit to Islam, the Italian author and journalist Oriana Fallaci asserted the rejoinder "lan astaslem" (Arabic: لن استسلم ) meaning "I will not surrender". Michelle Malkin has taken up this slogan as a response to the WTC terrorist attacks

On September 17, 2006, in response to the Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy, Imad Hamto, a Palestinian religious leader, said: "We want to use the words of the Prophet Muhammad and tell the pope: Aslim Taslam." This was interpreted as a warning.

References

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Last updated on Saturday February 09, 2008 at 03:08:19 PST (GMT -0800)
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