Shaykh Muqbil's (Rahimahullah) Advice to New Muslims
If Allaah guides someone to Islaam, then what should he say and what should be said to him?
He should say:
“I Bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is his slave and messenger.”
Then he is to be advised with accompanying the righteous people, for indeed the messenger of Allaahصلى الله عليه و سلم said:
“The example of the righteous companion and the evil companion is like the perfume seller and the black smith. As for the perfume seller, then he is either going to give you some perfume, sell you some, or at least you will smell a pleasant fragrance from him, and as for the blacksmith, then he will either burn your clothes or you will smell a wretched smell from him.”
I was told of a story while I was studying in the Islaamic University (of Madeenah) that someone entered into Islaam, so he moved from the kufaar’s homes to live with the Muslims. However, the Muslims that he stayed with didn’t even pray, so his Islaam was merely moving from one home to another.
So it is essential that he strives to accompany the righteous people, as well as disbelieving in the worship of the messiah.
And we also advise him to acquire beneficial books such as: Riyadhus Saleheen, Fathul Majeed the explanation of Kitaabut Tawheed, Buloogh Al Maraam, Tafseer ibnu Katheer.
And likewise, we advise him, to learn Islaam from the books of Islaam, and not from the actions of the Muslims, because their actions are not good, you may find a Muslim lying or committing adultery or drinking alcohol, while they know that these things are forbidden. Then the kufaar use this as evidence against the Muslims, so we say to them: We do not call you to this, rather we call you to cling on the correct religion:
{Verily Allaah enjoins Al ‘Adl (justice) and Al Ihsaan, and giving (help) to kin, and forbids Al Fahshaa’(evil), Al Munkar, and Al Baghy(oppression) He admonishes you, in order that you may take heed.} [An Nahl/90. Please refer to tafseer ibnu Katheer for the explanation of this verse.]
And likewise the issue of amaanah (trustworthiness and honesty) as well as other issues that the Muslims have fallen into which are against the legislation of Islaam, these people are not a proof against Islaam, rather Islaam is a proof against the Muslims themselves. So it is important to make this clear so that they (the kufaar) do not use the actions of sinful Muslims as a proof against Islaam, rather we say to them: We do not call you to be like those people, nor like those who are corrupt, or thieves, or those who sell or make alcohol, nor do we call you to become Sufees...
A noble brother who studies either in Britain or Germany once visited us, and told us that Allaah had guided a woman into Islaam, then she saw the Sufees dance in the masjid, so she called him and said, I saw such and such in the masjid, so if this is Islaam, then there is no difference between it and the religion that I have left.
So we do not call you to become a shee’ee, nor a sufee, nor an ‘ilmaanee, rather [we call you to] act upon the book of Allaah, and the sunnah of his messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم even if all the people were to contradict you.
If Allaah guides someone to Islaam, then what should he say and what should be said to him?
He should say:
“I Bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is his slave and messenger.”
Then he is to be advised with accompanying the righteous people, for indeed the messenger of Allaahصلى الله عليه و سلم said:
“The example of the righteous companion and the evil companion is like the perfume seller and the black smith. As for the perfume seller, then he is either going to give you some perfume, sell you some, or at least you will smell a pleasant fragrance from him, and as for the blacksmith, then he will either burn your clothes or you will smell a wretched smell from him.”
I was told of a story while I was studying in the Islaamic University (of Madeenah) that someone entered into Islaam, so he moved from the kufaar’s homes to live with the Muslims. However, the Muslims that he stayed with didn’t even pray, so his Islaam was merely moving from one home to another.
So it is essential that he strives to accompany the righteous people, as well as disbelieving in the worship of the messiah.
And we also advise him to acquire beneficial books such as: Riyadhus Saleheen, Fathul Majeed the explanation of Kitaabut Tawheed, Buloogh Al Maraam, Tafseer ibnu Katheer.
And likewise, we advise him, to learn Islaam from the books of Islaam, and not from the actions of the Muslims, because their actions are not good, you may find a Muslim lying or committing adultery or drinking alcohol, while they know that these things are forbidden. Then the kufaar use this as evidence against the Muslims, so we say to them: We do not call you to this, rather we call you to cling on the correct religion:
{Verily Allaah enjoins Al ‘Adl (justice) and Al Ihsaan, and giving (help) to kin, and forbids Al Fahshaa’(evil), Al Munkar, and Al Baghy(oppression) He admonishes you, in order that you may take heed.} [An Nahl/90. Please refer to tafseer ibnu Katheer for the explanation of this verse.]
And likewise the issue of amaanah (trustworthiness and honesty) as well as other issues that the Muslims have fallen into which are against the legislation of Islaam, these people are not a proof against Islaam, rather Islaam is a proof against the Muslims themselves. So it is important to make this clear so that they (the kufaar) do not use the actions of sinful Muslims as a proof against Islaam, rather we say to them: We do not call you to be like those people, nor like those who are corrupt, or thieves, or those who sell or make alcohol, nor do we call you to become Sufees...
A noble brother who studies either in Britain or Germany once visited us, and told us that Allaah had guided a woman into Islaam, then she saw the Sufees dance in the masjid, so she called him and said, I saw such and such in the masjid, so if this is Islaam, then there is no difference between it and the religion that I have left.
So we do not call you to become a shee’ee, nor a sufee, nor an ‘ilmaanee, rather [we call you to] act upon the book of Allaah, and the sunnah of his messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم even if all the people were to contradict you.
