How to Convert to Islam?
How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim?
- Categories: Da'wah to Non-Muslims -
How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim?
The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process that requires no pre-requisites. One may convert alone in privacy, or he/she may do so in the presence of others.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam.
With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.
Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins:
« Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it? » [Saheeh Muslim]
»أما علمت أن الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله؟« رواه مسلم
When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.
The Holy Quran and Hadeeth (prophetic sayings) both stress the importance of following Islam. God states:
{Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.} [Aal-‘Imran 3:19]
{إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّـهِ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمُ} آل عمران: 19
Transliteration: Inna alddeena AAinda Allahi alislamu
In another verse of the Holy Quran, God states:
{And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.} [Aal-‘Imran 3:85]
{وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ} آل عمران: 85
Transliteration: Waman yabtaghi ghayra alislami deenan falan yuqbala minhu wahuwa fee alakhirati mina alkhasireena
In another saying, Muhammad, the Prophet of God, said:
« Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word [1] which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds. » [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
»من شهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله ، وأن عيسى عبد الله ورسوله ، وكلمتة ألقاها إلى مريم وروح منه ، والجنة حق ، والنار حق ، أدخله الله الجنة على ما كان من العمل« رواه البخاري
The Prophet of God may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, also reported:
« Indeed God has forbidden to reside eternally in Hell the person who says: “I testify that none has the right to worship except Allah (God),’ seeking thereby the Face of God. » [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
»فإن الله حرم على النار من قال : لا إله إلا الله ، يبتغي بذلك وجه الله«رواه البخاري
The Declaration of the Testimony (Shahada)
To convert to Islam and become a Muslim a person needs to pronounce the below testimony with conviction and understanding its meaning:
I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”
The translation of which is: “I testify that there is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and that Muhammad is a Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
When someone pronounces the testimony with conviction, then he/she has become a Muslim. It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with an adviser.
The first part of the testimony consists of the most important truth that God revealed to mankind: that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. God states in the Holy Quran:
{And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad salla Allah ‘alyhi wasallam) but We inspired him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).} [Al-Anbiya’ 21:25]
{وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ} الأنبياء: 25
Transliteration: Wama arsalna min qablika min rasoolin illa noohee ilayhi annahu la ilaha illa ana faoAAbudooni
This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only.
Worship means the performance of deeds and sayings that please God, things which He commanded or encouraged to be performed, either by direct textual proof or by analogy. Thus, worship is not restricted to the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, but also includes every aspect of life. Providing food for one’s family, and saying something pleasant to cheer a person up are also considered acts of worship, if such is done with the intention of pleasing God. This means that, to be accepted, all acts of worship must be carried out sincerely for the Sake of God alone.
The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad is the servant and chosen messenger of God. This implies that one obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings and avoid what he has forbidden. One must therefore worship God only according to his teaching alone, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by God.
One must try to mold their lives and character and emulate the Prophet, as he was a living example for humans to follow. God says:
{And verily, you (O Muhammad salla Allah ‘alyhi wasallam) are on an exalted standard of character.} [Al-Qalam 68:4]
{وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ} القلم: 4
Transliteration: Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin
God also said:
{And in deed you have a good and upright example in the Messenger of God, for those who hope in the meeting of God and the Hereafter, and mentions God much.} [Al-Ahzaab 33:21]
{قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا} الأحزاب: 21
Transliteration: Laqad kana lakum fee rasooli Allahi oswatun hasanatun liman kana yarjoo Allaha waalyawma alakhira wathakara Allaha katheeran
He was sent in order to practically implement the Quran, in his saying, deeds, legislation as well as all other facets of life. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, when asked about the character of the Prophet, replied: « His character was that of the Quran. » [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
»كان خلقه القرآن« صححه الألباني
To truly adhere to the second part of the Shahada is to follow his example in all walks of life. God says:
{Say (O Muhammad, salla Allah ‘alyhi wasallam, to mankind): If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah),} [Aal-‘Imran 3:31]
{قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّـهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى} آل عمران: 31
Transliteration: Qul in kuntum tuhibboona Allaha faittabiAAoonee
It also means that Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger of God, and that no (true) Prophet can come after him.
{Muhammad (salla Allah ‘alyhi wasallam) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever AllAware of everything.} [Al-Ahzaab 33:40]
{مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّـهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّـهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا} الأحزاب: 40
Transliteration: Ma kana muhammadun aba ahadin min rijalikum walakin rasoola Allahi wakhatama alnnabiyyeena wakana Allahu bikulli shayin AAaleeman
All who claim to be prophets or receive revelation after Muhammad are imposters, and to acknowledge them would be tantamount to disbelief.
We welcome you to Islam, congratulate you for your decision, and will try to help you in any way we can.
Footnotes:
[1] God created him through His statement, “Be!”