Question:
Is there any difference between Deen and Islam?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The word Deen has many meanings in the Arabic language. In Shariah, the word Deen is used to stand for the principles and injunctions which are common to all the prophets from Hadhrat Adam (Alaihis Salam) up until Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Islam in its literal meaning is to submit oneself to Allah and to obey his commands. Thus, those who believed in the prophets and messengers of their time and obeyed the commands of Allah that those prophets brought to them, can be called Muslims. However, the word Islam is also used more specifically for the Shariah brought by Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Being the last of all prophets, the Shariah brought by Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) abrogated all previous ways and injunctions. If this meaning is taken, the word Islam becomes particular to the religion brought by Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). [i]
