Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
Did Islam start at the time of the Prophet, or has it always been a thing and will continue to do so for infinity? Also, should we say Allah’s name with capital letters? Should we say Muhammad and Islam with capital letters?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
Islam is the true religion from Allah Most High, brought to the world by the Messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). It will remain forever as the true religion in the sight of Allah. Allah Most High says,
“Certainly, the true religion in the sight of Allah is submission (to Him, i.e., Islam).” [Quran, 3:19]
Allah has also said, “Today, I have perfected for you your religion, and completed my bounty upon you, and have become pleased with Islam for you as your religion.” [Quran, 5:3]
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Islam began as something strange, and it will return to the way it was when it began. So glad tidings of Paradise for those who are seen as strange!” [Muslim]
Therefore, this shows that Islam “began” at some point, meaning at the revelation of the message and dispensation established explicitly through the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace).
However, this does not contradict that Islam is also a continuation of guidance for humanity through the sending of prophets (peace be upon them all) from the beginning of our time here on earth. In this respect, Islam is the true primordial religion, even if previous dispensations did not take that label explicitly.
Capitalizing Names and Proper Nouns
The names of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), and Islam are capitalized because proper nouns are capitalized in English, such as when you capitalize your name. This is a grammatical issue, not a religious one, so if you did not use capitalization inadvertently, this is not something to worry about.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised in the Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, from where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.