Converting To Islam
- Thread starter suevosloo
- Start date
salah_khan
New Member
Yes, there is a very important starting-point, which is to pronounce the Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith).
We extend the warmest of welcomes to you, and offer our congratulations for the new direction you are about to take. May Allaah protect you from all evil.
Islam Q&A
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people face difficulties on the basis of their mistaken belief that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs, or reporting this act to the courts or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities as evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of the above conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, the Almighty is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who wish to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate many matters for them including the possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has the full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah (SWT) for all human beings, he should pronounce the "Shahada" (testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit in this regard, as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion -other that Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over all other religions, Allah (SWT) has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"And to thee We have sent the Book in truth, (This Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came before it, and a witness over it..." (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and His servant; performing the prayer; paying the Zakat (obligatory charity); fasting the month of Ramadan; and performing Hajj."
The Shahada can be declared as follows:
"ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH HADUANNAMUHAMMADANABDUHUWA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to utter only this testimony orally either in private or in public. One should believe in it from the heart with a firm conviction and unshakable faith. If he is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in his daily life he will find himself a newborn person.
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What should be next after declaring the testimony of faith (Shahada) and then becoming a Muslim? He should know the real concept underlying this testimony, which means accepting the Oneness of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophets, and meeting its requirements. He must behave accordingly applying this true faith to everything he says or does. What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know is the truth that there is no god to be worshipped other than Allah, (Glory be to Him). He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Shahada" i.e. "Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one should be in any doubt about this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe in what he has said, to follow his Teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship A11ah alone according to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's Commandments both in utterances and actions, whether explicit or implicit and in private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
1. Visible (manifest or outward) 2. Invisible (concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "shahada", performing prayers, giving Zakat (obligatory charity), observing the fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with the movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone)
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one's heart which, subsequently, affects one's way of life (beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of polytheism or "shirk", which amounts to apostasy, from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee newly converted to Islam is to purify himself by taking a bath (total ablution). He should then resolve to comply with all the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal Laah.
Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"... whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that will never break..." (2:256)
We have to consider that when we declare from our hearts, "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah." It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah," to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the finest anchor of belief which make material the meaning of "AL-WALA" and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from the practices of unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He may cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Ameen.
We extend the warmest of welcomes to you, and offer our congratulations for the new direction you are about to take. May Allaah protect you from all evil.
Islam Q&A
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people face difficulties on the basis of their mistaken belief that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs, or reporting this act to the courts or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities as evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of the above conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, the Almighty is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who wish to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate many matters for them including the possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has the full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah (SWT) for all human beings, he should pronounce the "Shahada" (testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit in this regard, as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion -other that Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over all other religions, Allah (SWT) has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"And to thee We have sent the Book in truth, (This Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came before it, and a witness over it..." (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and His servant; performing the prayer; paying the Zakat (obligatory charity); fasting the month of Ramadan; and performing Hajj."
The Shahada can be declared as follows:
"ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH HADUANNAMUHAMMADANABDUHUWA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to utter only this testimony orally either in private or in public. One should believe in it from the heart with a firm conviction and unshakable faith. If he is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in his daily life he will find himself a newborn person.
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What should be next after declaring the testimony of faith (Shahada) and then becoming a Muslim? He should know the real concept underlying this testimony, which means accepting the Oneness of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophets, and meeting its requirements. He must behave accordingly applying this true faith to everything he says or does. What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know is the truth that there is no god to be worshipped other than Allah, (Glory be to Him). He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Shahada" i.e. "Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one should be in any doubt about this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe in what he has said, to follow his Teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship A11ah alone according to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's Commandments both in utterances and actions, whether explicit or implicit and in private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
1. Visible (manifest or outward) 2. Invisible (concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "shahada", performing prayers, giving Zakat (obligatory charity), observing the fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with the movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone)
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one's heart which, subsequently, affects one's way of life (beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of polytheism or "shirk", which amounts to apostasy, from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee newly converted to Islam is to purify himself by taking a bath (total ablution). He should then resolve to comply with all the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal Laah.
Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"... whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that will never break..." (2:256)
We have to consider that when we declare from our hearts, "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah." It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah," to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the finest anchor of belief which make material the meaning of "AL-WALA" and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from the practices of unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He may cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Ameen.
sarahlou
Junior Member
HI, I am so happy that you are choosing to revert to Islam. I am a revert as well Alhamdulillah and a sister on this site helped me in the reversion process. I am going to let her know that you want some help in the reversion process. She is very kind and knowledgeable in Islam Masha Allah. My name is Sarah by the way. You can also PM me if you need any help as well.
arzafar
Junior Member
Mashallah, this is very good news.
I hope that you will convert soon. One of the sisters or moderators Inshallah will contact you.
then we all want to hear your reversion story
p.s. Once you have been a muslim for some time you will realize why muslims get excited when a non muslim reverts to Islam.
I hope that you will convert soon. One of the sisters or moderators Inshallah will contact you.
then we all want to hear your reversion story
p.s. Once you have been a muslim for some time you will realize why muslims get excited when a non muslim reverts to Islam.
Assalaam walaikum,
Welcome home. It is good to go to a masjid. Isamicfinder is a good place to start to find masjids in the US and Canada. Please call a masjid near you. Please do not be disappointed if you do not hear back immediately. It depends on where you live. Find out when jumma prayer is for your area. It is the sabbath congregational prayer. Please speak to an imam.
TTI is a good site to help you with any questions. May the rewards of Allah's blessings shower on you.
Welcome home. It is good to go to a masjid. Isamicfinder is a good place to start to find masjids in the US and Canada. Please call a masjid near you. Please do not be disappointed if you do not hear back immediately. It depends on where you live. Find out when jumma prayer is for your area. It is the sabbath congregational prayer. Please speak to an imam.
TTI is a good site to help you with any questions. May the rewards of Allah's blessings shower on you.
Munawar
Striving for Paradise
:salam2:
Welcome to Islam and to TTI.
There is a an organization www.WHYISLAM.org and they have offices in many cities across US. They have a toll free phone number too 1-877-WHY-ISLAM .
On the website they say that they can provide many different kinds of help in many cities across the US, they can even help plan a visit to the local Mosque. So please check them out.
Hope this information help you.
Wassalam.
Frank_H_Smith
New Revert 2010
Welcome, suevosloo,
I am a new revert (as in we are all born in submission to Allah and therefore we are returning to Him). There are many here who can advise you. Muslims, in my experiences, are very kind and helpful; however, be prepared to research a lot on your own. Unlike other religions, Islam doesn't seem to have a regular instruction program. It may be different in other areas where there are more Muslims. I am not complaining, just letting you know that my move from Atheism to Christianity was easier than my reverting from Christianity to Islam.
I am a new revert (as in we are all born in submission to Allah and therefore we are returning to Him). There are many here who can advise you. Muslims, in my experiences, are very kind and helpful; however, be prepared to research a lot on your own. Unlike other religions, Islam doesn't seem to have a regular instruction program. It may be different in other areas where there are more Muslims. I am not complaining, just letting you know that my move from Atheism to Christianity was easier than my reverting from Christianity to Islam.
Frank_H_Smith
New Revert 2010
As Salamu 'Alaykum,
Brother Munawar, thanks for the link. I may look into it myself.
Brother Munawar, thanks for the link. I may look into it myself.
katieanneb
Junior Member
Welcome
Hello,
I,too, am pleased that you are looking at Islam with an open heart. Indeed, Allah says that if anyone opens up his/her heart to Him, He will always guide them to the truth, which of course is Islam.
There is now a move to say that someone "reverts" rather than 'coverts" to Islam. This is because we are all born pure and in a natural state of Islam, or submission to Allah (no original sin in Islam), and it is our parents who bring us up as christians, jews, hindus, or whatever. So, when someone joins the fold of Islam later in life, it's simply a move back or reversion to that natural state of Islam in which we were born. When you think of it like this, it makes the step of accepting Islam much easier.
I have a piece of advice which I give to all those whom I encounter who are considering Islam, which is to find your information from reliable sources. The two main sources are of course the Quran and the Hadith, or the authentic sayings , of the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). You may need someone to help you with the meanings at first and although there are translations of both available, we all need to refer to tafsir or explanations of why certain verses were revealed and how they can be interpreted. The reason I say this is that there are a larger proportion of the Muslim population who are either ignorant or simply reject the teachings of Islam. You should understand that the religion of Islam is perfect, but human beings aren't, and you may see Muslims acting in ways which are incongruent with Islamic teachings. So beware, follow Islam, not Muslims. And don't worry about details yet. The main thing now is to understand the fundamental beliefs of Islam, and then everything will come naturally, inshallah, Allah willing.
I know that the members of this forum may well object to what I have said, as they are doing their best to portray the true Islam. I apologise if my words seem harsh, but I was lucky and was taught Islam by true Muslims, who follow the Quran and Sunnah (the way of life of the Prophet), but others I know have followed other sects.
So in short, stay "tuned" to this forum and you'll find all you need. I don't know what is available in your area, but you could contact the Islamic Foundation in Markfield, Leics, UK, who will be able to help you with your quest and once you embrace Islam. They have a new Muslim project for people just like you. You can "google" the Islamic Foundation to get phone numbers, etc.
If you need any help with this or anything else, just PM me. I wish you all the best, by Allah's grace you will find the truth.
Regards.
Hello,
I,too, am pleased that you are looking at Islam with an open heart. Indeed, Allah says that if anyone opens up his/her heart to Him, He will always guide them to the truth, which of course is Islam.
There is now a move to say that someone "reverts" rather than 'coverts" to Islam. This is because we are all born pure and in a natural state of Islam, or submission to Allah (no original sin in Islam), and it is our parents who bring us up as christians, jews, hindus, or whatever. So, when someone joins the fold of Islam later in life, it's simply a move back or reversion to that natural state of Islam in which we were born. When you think of it like this, it makes the step of accepting Islam much easier.
I have a piece of advice which I give to all those whom I encounter who are considering Islam, which is to find your information from reliable sources. The two main sources are of course the Quran and the Hadith, or the authentic sayings , of the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). You may need someone to help you with the meanings at first and although there are translations of both available, we all need to refer to tafsir or explanations of why certain verses were revealed and how they can be interpreted. The reason I say this is that there are a larger proportion of the Muslim population who are either ignorant or simply reject the teachings of Islam. You should understand that the religion of Islam is perfect, but human beings aren't, and you may see Muslims acting in ways which are incongruent with Islamic teachings. So beware, follow Islam, not Muslims. And don't worry about details yet. The main thing now is to understand the fundamental beliefs of Islam, and then everything will come naturally, inshallah, Allah willing.
I know that the members of this forum may well object to what I have said, as they are doing their best to portray the true Islam. I apologise if my words seem harsh, but I was lucky and was taught Islam by true Muslims, who follow the Quran and Sunnah (the way of life of the Prophet), but others I know have followed other sects.
So in short, stay "tuned" to this forum and you'll find all you need. I don't know what is available in your area, but you could contact the Islamic Foundation in Markfield, Leics, UK, who will be able to help you with your quest and once you embrace Islam. They have a new Muslim project for people just like you. You can "google" the Islamic Foundation to get phone numbers, etc.
If you need any help with this or anything else, just PM me. I wish you all the best, by Allah's grace you will find the truth.
Regards.
Fatima S.Ar
Happiness = Islam
Hi honey !
If you believe in Allah is the one God , Muhammad is his last messanger , and Esa ( Jesus ) is his messanger ( believe in all the messangers and prophets as well ) , then you can say the Shahadah :
I testify there is no God but Allah , and I testify Muhammad is the messanger of Allah .
By this you can become a Muslim , believe in it deeply in ur heart .
If you need any help tell me please don't hesitate , just PM me .
May Allah guide u to the right path .
If you believe in Allah is the one God , Muhammad is his last messanger , and Esa ( Jesus ) is his messanger ( believe in all the messangers and prophets as well ) , then you can say the Shahadah :
I testify there is no God but Allah , and I testify Muhammad is the messanger of Allah .
By this you can become a Muslim , believe in it deeply in ur heart .
If you need any help tell me please don't hesitate , just PM me .
May Allah guide u to the right path .
salam aliakum. yes, we do get excited when new people embrace Islam!! Alhumduillah for everything. I have been a muslim for 10 years this last January. Alhumduillah. This is a wonderful site and I have learned sooooooo much here. The convert stories are so good.
Your new sister in Islam,
Jamie
Your new sister in Islam,
Jamie
Frank_H_Smith
New Revert 2010
" That's an interesting observation. Indeed, there is no clergy system in Islam and no indoctrination! In fact, if you encounter a group of Muslims who attempt to indoctrinate you, you should be suspicious of them.
The reason for this is that Islam is quite simple: All of it is in the Quran and the authentic Sunna and they are both preserved and available to everybody in their language and freely online! Besides, there is a support system of 1.5 billion people. Anybody who tells you it's more complex than that is either mistaken or pursuing an agenda. "
Brother Ayman, you are correct and I hope it didn't sound like I was complaining. It is just that I lack the patience of a long time Muslim and am accustom to being given direction and assignments for reading and what is proper procedure and conduct. The Muslims are thinking beings who are not dull in the head and therefore don't need indoctrination. I think I heard that line from the instructor at The FIKS website.
The reason for this is that Islam is quite simple: All of it is in the Quran and the authentic Sunna and they are both preserved and available to everybody in their language and freely online! Besides, there is a support system of 1.5 billion people. Anybody who tells you it's more complex than that is either mistaken or pursuing an agenda. "
Brother Ayman, you are correct and I hope it didn't sound like I was complaining. It is just that I lack the patience of a long time Muslim and am accustom to being given direction and assignments for reading and what is proper procedure and conduct. The Muslims are thinking beings who are not dull in the head and therefore don't need indoctrination. I think I heard that line from the instructor at The FIKS website.