am." In Arabic, as in other Semitic languages, root meanings are conveyed in consonant sequences, with vowels "filling in the details." The root of the word Islam is the sequence S-L-M, which has the general meaning of peace. The basic form of the word is thus the same as salaam (and is related to the Hebrew word shalom). It is true that the word also has the connotation of "submission." This can be taken as an unwarlike metaphor, with overtones of conquest and surrender.
This, however, is to strip the word and idea of all context. Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, is a monotheistic faith that believes in an omnipresent, omnipotent, universal God. In all three religious traditions, peace comes from accepting the will of God. This is indeed submission -- not to a conqueror, but to the merciful creator of the universe. "Acceptance" would be an equally valid word to explain this concept. For Muslims who are not actively considering their faith, the metaphor may be merely conventional, simply the name of the faith to which they nominally adhere. Th
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