How to say "Muslim" in Arabic
LoanwordMeaningMuslim
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
muslimמסלם
مسلم
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
muslemiمُوسْلِمِي
How the two words are related
Borrowed between the languages (or by both from a third).
Arabic root
س-ل-مHebrew root
ש-ל-םModern Hebrew מוסלמי is simply this Arabic word borrowed in — but the root itself, س-ل-م, is the exact cognate of Hebrew ש-ל-ם, the root of שלום 'peace' (س regularly matches ש, as in سلام/שלום). A Muslim is, at the root, 'one who has submitted' — surrendered into peace.
Related Hebrew word:שלוםshalomشَالُوم
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In a phrase
he is a religious Muslim
Plural
sound masculine plural -ūn
Feminine
The root family
س-ل-مש-ל-ם· wholeness, peace
The flagship pair: שלום and salām are the same word, from a root meaning wholeness and safety in both languages. Arabic's Form IV verbal noun islām — handing oneself over whole — is built exactly like Hebrew הַשְׁלָמָה, and even שילם "to pay" matches Arabic sallama "to hand over": paying is making someone whole.
- سَلَام salāmpeaceשָׁלוֹםpeace
- سَلِمَ salimahe was safe, came out unharmedשָׁלֵםwhole, intact
- سَلَّمَ sallamahe greeted; handed overשִׁלֵּםhe paid (made whole)
- إِسْلَام islāmIslam — surrender (to God)הַשְׁלָמָהcompletion; acceptance
- مُسْلِم muslimMuslim — one who surrenders (to God)מַשְׁלִיםone who completes / accepts
- سَلَامَة salāmasafety, well-being (as in maʿa s-salāma)
More words from this root
- peace / hellosalāmسَلَامשלום
- peace be upon youas-salāmu ʿalaykumالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمשלום עליכם
- goodbyemaʿa s-salāmaمَعَ السَّلَامَةלהתראות
- get well / glad you're safesalāmtakسَلَامَتَكרפואה שלמה
- to hand over; to paysallamaسَلَّمَמסר
- sound, intact, healthysalīmسَلِيمשלם
- peacesalāmسَلَامשלום
- oh, peace! (Arabic exclamation of admiration) → wow! (Israeli slang)yā salāmيَا سَلَامיא סלאם