Muslim

IPA/mˈʊzlɪm/
KK[mˈʌzləm]IPA/mˈʌzləm/

Muslim — noun

1. a person whose religion is Islam, who believes in one God (Allah) and follows th

1.nounA2
Definition

a person whose religion is Islam, who believes in one God (Allah) and follows the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as recorded in the Qur'an.

Example

Mayumi invited her Muslim neighbour to share a meal during Eid.

collocation: Muslim neighbour / Muslim community

Every year during Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from dawn until sunset.

plural: Muslims as a global community

Common collocations
  • devout Muslim
  • practising Muslim
  • fellow Muslims
  • Muslim community
  • young Muslim
Synonyms
  • follower of Islam

    More descriptive and transparent for learners; less common in everyday speech than 'Muslim'

  • believer

    Much broader — refers to any religious person, not specifically a Muslim; only works in context

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a Muslim

the Muslims

[number] Muslims

Usage Note

Always capitalised because it refers to a specific religious identity. Countable: one Muslim, two Muslims. Not all Arabic-speaking people are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabic-speaking — the religion is global and multi-ethnic.

Common Mistakes

He is a Islam.
He is a Muslim.
Islam is the name of the religion; Muslim is the word for a person who follows it.
Muslims believes in one God.
Muslims believe in one God.
The subject 'Muslims' is plural, so the verb has no -s.
the muslim community' (lowercase)
the Muslim community
Muslim is always capitalised.

Muslim — adjective

Word family

  • Islam
    nounA2
  • Islamic
    adjectiveB1
  • Islamist
    nounC1
  • Islamophobia
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Muslim, follower of Islam, believer, and Islam are often confused by learners. 'Muslim' (noun) is the standard word for a person who follows the Islamic faith — use it when talking about individuals or communities: 'A Muslim must pray five times a day.' 'Follower of Islam' is a transparent descriptive phrase that helps beginners understand the meaning, but it is less common in natural speech. 'Believer' is much broader and refers to anyone who follows any religion; a Muslim is a believer, but not every believer is a Muslim. 'Islam' (noun) is the religion itself — it does NOT refer to a person, so 'He is an Islam' is incorrect. Use 'Islam' when talking about beliefs, history, or practices: 'Islam began in 7th-century Arabia.'

Muslim ↗follower of Islambeliever ↗Islam ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

  • Muslim from [country/region]

Etymology

ArabicEnglish

Muslim comes from the Arabic word 'مُسْلِم' (muslim), which means 'one who submits (to God)'. This is based on the Arabic root 's-l-m', which carries the ideas of submission, peace, and safety — the same root that gives us the word 'Islam'. The word entered English in the early 1600s through travel writings about the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East.