Answer
Short Answer: No. We called ourselves “Muslims” because God called us Muslims in the Quran. Moreover, we do NOT worship Prophet Muhammad. He was only a man, a very good man, who showed us how to worship God according to the way God revealed to him (through the Quran) how He wishes to be worshipped. Muslims have never called themselves Muhammadans. It was religious ignorance during the Middle Ages that gave us this misnomer.
Salam (Peace) Laura,
Thank you for contacting About Islam with your question.
The name of our religion is Islam, and those who follow it are called Muslims.
The name “Muslims” is given in the Quran (22:78) to the followers of Islam.
And never did the Quran or Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) call the followers of the religion “Muhammadans”.
Moreover, the Muslims never used the word “Muhammadan” as a name or title to describe Muslims.
Misnomer Applied Because of Ignorance
Etymologically, the name “Muhammadans” has been given to Muslims by the Europeans of the Middle Ages.
This labeling may have been out of spite and animosity, to imply that we are a cult of followers of one man.
This is untrue since it is an article of faith for Muslims to believe in all the prophets of God, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all).
Some may also have called Muslim “Muhammadans” out of ignorance, or because they were Christians, being so named because they worship Christ (peace be upon him).
For that reason, they may have, through analogy, thought of Muslims as “Muhammadans”.
But the faiths do not parallel in this way, since Muslims do not worship any human.
In the history of Europe during the Middle Ages, the distortion of names was a common occurrence.
The Europeans of the Middle Ages have also called Muslims “Saracens” and “Moors”, among other more offensive names.
Muslims Worship God, NOT Muhammad
And what is more important than nomenclature is the fact that Islam emphasizes the worship of God alone and forbids, with utmost condemnation, the ascribing of partners to Him, regardless of their status.
No serious intellectual or writer of our times would contest this fact.
The Quran affirms the humanity and denies the divinity of Prophet Muhammad in many verses, including the following:
Say (O Muhammad): I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is One God. (Quran 18:110)
Muhammad is no more than an apostle: many were the apostle that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will you then turn back on your heels?… (Quran 3:144)
Also, the Prophet Muhammad himself (peace be upon him) said:
Do not exaggerate in my praise as was exaggerated about Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary). Say: the slave of Allah and His Messenger. (Al-Bukhari)
We Respect The People of the Book, and Jesus
The Muslims didn’t betray that legacy of Prophet Muhammad, which was also the legacy of Prophet Jesus.
The first caliph (ruler of the Islamic empire), Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, clearly highlighted this fact upon the death of the Prophet in his famous speech, in which he said:
Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad has died. But he who used to worship Allah, Allah is alive and never dies. (Al-Bukhari)
Finally, here is Allah’s instruction to Muslims,
And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islamic monotheism with His verses), except with such of them as do wrong; and say (to them): “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our God and your God is One (Allah), and to Him we have submitted (as Muslims).” (Quran 29:46)
I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch,
Salam.
(From AboutIslam’s archives)
Read more…
https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-about-islam/muslims-worship-muhammad/
https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-about-islam/prophet-muhammad-mentioned-shahadah/
https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-about-islam/was-muhammad-a-prophet/