According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the term 'Muslim' (المسلم) is a universal and timeless identity rooted in the Arabic word for submission. Classical exegetes like Al-Tabari explain that its root, S-L-M, signifies peace and surrender. Ibn Kathir’s analysis of Quranic verses, such as 2:132-136, demonstrates that 'Muslim' is not an exclusive label for the followers of Prophet Muhammad, but the true description of all who have submitted to the One God. This includes Prophet Abraham, who is called a 'Muslim Hanif' (3:67), and the disciples of Jesus, who declared, 'bear witness that we are Muslims' (3:52). The synthesis across these verses reveals that the Muslim identity is defined by two core principles: absolute monotheism (Tawheed) and belief in all of God's prophets without distinction. This establishes 'Muslim' as a description of one's spiritual state of being rather than a mere ethnic or sectarian affiliation.