Islam[/url] Means ‘Peace’ The Myth: Lesser educated Muslims sometimes claim that the root word of Islam is “al-Salaam,” which is “peace” in Arabic. The Truth: The root word for Islam is “al-Silm,” which means “submission” or “surrender.” There is no controversy about this among Islamic scholars. Submission and peace can be very different concepts, even if a form of peace is often brought about through forcing others into submission. As the modern-day Islamic scholar, Ibrahim Sulaiman, puts it, "Jihad is not inhumane, despite its necessary violence and bloodshed, its ultimate desire is peace which is protected and enhanced by the rule of law." In truth, the Qur’an not only calls Muslims to submit to Allah, it also commands them to [url=http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.029" mce_href=http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html#009.029]subdue people of other religions until they are in a full state of submission to Islamic rule. This has inspired the aggressive history of Islam and its success in conquering other cultures.