Your brief guide to become a Muslim: Embracing Islam from A to Z

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a Muslim?

Have you ever thought whether or not it is initially possible to embrace Islam?

If such questions have ever passed by your mind, then this post is perfectly for you!

Can anyone become a Muslim?

First of all, yes! Any and every one can embrace Islam and become a Muslim at any time, whatever his/ her previous religious or culture background. Islam is for all, literally!

Great! Now, what does it take to become a Muslim?

Only few things, not to do, but to believe in!

These things summarise the unique aspects of the Islamic faith that differentiate it and make it compatible with common sense. 

In the coming lines we will show them briefly in clear, specific points. 

The meaning of the word “Islam”

Let’s firstly start with the meaning of the word “Islam”. The name “Islam” comes from more than one meaning. “Islam” is an Arabic word that comes from three main meanings: 

• Peace.
• Safety.. safety from imperfections.
• Submission.. submission to The True God. And this is the basic and central meaning of Islam. The complete submission to The True God, The Creator of heavens and earth, by following His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.  

When his Lord said to him, “Submit,” he said, “I have submitted [in Islām] to the Lord of the worlds.” [Qur’an 2:131] 

So if they argue with you, say, “I have submitted myself to Allah [in Islām], and [so have] those who follow me…” [Qur’an 3:20] 

Read also about Islam: What Is Islam? A Simple & Easy Guide For Non-Muslim

What makes someone a Muslim?

If you find these beliefs compatible with common sense and make sense to you so far, then you are almost Muslim already! But wait! You are not officially a Muslim yet!

These are the basic beliefs that anyone has to accept and believe in to embrace Islam and become a Muslim. Since you reached here, this may mean that you are ready now to take the most important step in your whole life that will change not only your current worldly life, but also, and importantly, your future and hereafter life.

How to become a Muslim: 7 Steps

To become a Muslim, and before pronouncing the testimony of faith [Shahadah], you have to accept some principles and beliefs that you would be expected to admire:

1. Believe in the Oneness of God: The core concept  

The core concept of Islam is the Oneness of God. To believe in the oneness of God means that you believe that there is God, the uncreated Creator of the universe, the heavens and earth and the Creator of everything. 

That God is One and Only True, Unique God Who is worthy of worship alone without associating any partners with Him, only One True God to worship, obey, and submit to. 

That God is so unique in His names and attributes that He is completely different from His creatures and His creatures are completely different from Him; “There is nothing like unto Him”. Accordingly, for example, He does not need to have a partner, a wife, or a son, and, thus, indeed He does not have a partner, a wife, or a son!

Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] One,
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
He neither begets nor is born,
Nor is there to Him any equivalent.’

 [Quran 112-1:4]

2. Belief in all Prophets & Messengers of Allah (PBUT)

Believing in all Prophets and Messengers of Allah, from Adam to Muhammad, passing by Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them) and that all of them called for worshipping Allah alone without associating any partner with Him is the other part of the core concept of Islam. Actually, it is not separated from the concept of the Oneness of Allah, rather, this entails that. This is generally.

3. Belief in Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Specifically, believing in Prophet Muhammad and that he is the last and final Prophet and Messenger of Allah who came to finalize the same one message that all previous Prophets and Messengers of Allah came with. This is the other part that completes the concept of Oneness. 

Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the last and final Prophet and Messenger sent by Almighty Allah to the entire humanity, not only to his people like the previous Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them) who were sent only to their nations.

Read: Was Muhammad A Prophet of God? Or He made it up?!

4. Belief in the only valid divine Message (Quran)

The message revealed to Prophet Muhammad -The Holy Quran- is the last and final, and the only valid, divine message and revelation to the whole mankind, to all people, till the end of the world, not only to a certain group of people like the previous messages. It is encompassing and has finalised and completed the same one message that all previous Prophets and Messengers of God from Adam to him (peace be upon all of them) came with and called their people and nations to, which is the oneness of Allah and worshipping Him alone.

Emphatically, it is academically a known fact that the previous documents (Torah & Gospels) have been edited and altered and their original forms are nowhere to be found today.

This is why Allah sent down the last and final message, the Holy Quran, and it has been preserved in its original form, absolutely protected and memorised by millions of people around the world. Therefore, this book is unrivalled and undefeated. And it is the Ultimate Proof for the Truth of Islam.

Read:

• Why is The Quran The Greatest Miracle?
• Who Wrote the Quran? – Real Examination To The Author of the Qur’an

5. Belief in Prophet Jesus (PBUH)

A critical part of the Islamic faith is the belief in Jesus as being a human Prophet of Allah; only a human Prophet and one of the best five Messengers of Allah.

Jesus is a human whose creation and birth was miraculous, just like the creation of Adam who was created from no man and no woman, without a father or a mother. However, no one ever claimed that he is God or the Son of God. Jesus is just the same. He was created miraculously from a woman only without a man, with a mother only without a father. And he was neither killed nor crucified, rather, Allah raised him to Himself.

So, Jesus is a sacred person, a Prophet and a Messenger of God, but he is neither God nor the Son of God. He is just a human and not divine by any means.

6. Believe in the Articles of Faith

In Islam, there are six pillars of faith. We can call them “Heart Work”, which means to believe in them with your heart. The 6 pillars of faith are:

1. Belief in Allah.
2. Belief in His Angels. 
3. Belief in His Books (Divine Scriptures).
4. Belief in His Messengers. 
5. Belief in the Last Day.
6. Belief in the Divine Decree, whether good or bad.

7. Understand the Pillars of Islam

There are five pillars of Islam. This is how you practice Islam and live your life as a Muslim in an Islamic way. In other words, they are the actions that you take in your daily life to be practicing Islam and to be living an Islamic life as a Muslim. The 5 pillars of Islam are:

1. Two Shahadahs.. pronouncing the testimony of faith, which is known as “Shahadah”.
2. Prayer.. establishing the Prayer and performing 5 obligatory daily prayers.
3. Zakah.. paying Zakah (obligatory charity).
4. Fast.. fasting the holy month of Ramadan. 
5. Hajj.. pilgrimage as per the ability.

God or Allah? – The Name “Allah”

If you believe that Allah is the One and Only True, Unique God, … Oh oh! Just a minute! Is there a difference between the word “God” and “Allah”?!

Definitely yes! The name “Allah” is an Arabic word that means “The God”. 

Allah is The True God. If you open any Arabic copy of the Bible, you will find the name “Allah” mentioned in it. 

Nothing will clarify that difference better than this short video:

Embracing Islam: When is the Shahadah said?

Now, to become a Muslim, and since you already believe in these beliefs with your heart, you have to announce and pronounce this with your tongue as well. It is a matter of confirming with your tongue what you already believe in with your heart.

So, it’s time for pronouncing Shahadah after accepting the beforementioned seven steps to become a Muslim.

What to say to convert to Islam?

Again, the vital condition to become a Muslim is to pronounce the Testimony of Faith, which is known as “Shahadah”. It is to say in Arabic and in your language:

In English:

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that Jesus is a servant of Allah and His Messenger.”

In Arabic:

“Ash-hadu ann la ilaha illa Allah, wa-ash-hadu anna Muhammad rasool Allah, wa-ash-hadu anna Eisa abdu Allah wa-rasooluh.”

You can listen to it in Arabic and repeat after the sound in this less-than-30-second video:

If you have just pronounced it with your tongue, believing in it with your heart, then congratulations! You are now a Muslim!

Now you are, literally, like a newborn, pure, without any sin. Yes! Once you pronounce the Shahadah, all your previous sins, major and minor, are directly forgiven and completely erased! So, congratulations for the new birth! 

May Allah keep you steadfast on His true religion and accept from you your good deeds, Ameen.

By the way! It is NOT necessary at all to have a mosque in your neighborhood or to announce your Islam in a mosque! Whether you do not have a near mosque or you cannot reach the mosque for any other reason, this has nothing to do with embracing Islam and becoming a Muslim. If you can reach a mosque, this would be great! If you cannot, then yet, you still can embrace Islam and become a Muslim even without a mosque!  

Read: What is Shahadah in Islam? – A Full Guide

What does a revert Muslim mean?

Before we continue to what comes after pronouncing the Shahadah, let me clarify to you, dear reader, the meaning of a common word you might have passed by before. It is the word “Revert”. What is a Muslim revert?

The Muslim revert is the one who decided to come to Islam from any religion or no religion. Prophet Muhammad refers to this case in a hadith discribing the main standard situation for all people saying:

“Every child is born with a true faith of Islam (i.e. to worship none but Allah alone) and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism …”

(Sahih al-Bukhari).

Thus, since Islam is the religion of Fitrah (common sense), the word “revert” is sometimes used instead of the word “convert”.

So, becoming a Muslim revert means to come back again to the religion of Fitrah, Islam. 

How to become a Muslim again?

As clarified earlier, becoming a Muslim, or reverting to Islam again, takes one main condition: Pronouncing the Shahadah with your tongue confirming what you already believe in with your heart.

What Comes after Becoming a Muslim?

Now, after pronouncing the Shahadah and embracing Islam, it is a recommended act to take a shower and change your clothes wearing clean ones. After the shower, it is also recommended to pray two Rakaahs (two non-obligatory units of Prayer). So, do not forget to do these acts whenever you can!

Requisites of Becoming a Muslim and Take the Shahadah

It’s important to mention that the least about the Shahadah is:

• Glorifying Allah and His Messenger and obeying Allah and His Messenger.
• Denying the divinity except for Allah.
• Denying obedience except through the Messenger of Allah.

What to Learn and Start Practicing Immediately?

As a new Muslim, what you need to start practicing and learning immediately are two things: the Prayer and the Islamic Faith. Both you can learn through the following sites:

New Muslim Guide: www.newmuslimguide.com

New Muslim Academy: www.newmuslimacademy.org

Also, you can read and listen to the Quraan through this site: www.quran.com

Read also: Once I Become A Muslim, Should I Start Doing All Worships? – 10 Important Questions for New Muslims

Never Delay the Decision to Become a Muslim

Finally, if you have not taken the step yet, what are you waiting for? Since you are already convinced, just take it immediately. Now. Without any delay or hesitation. 

Never delay the most critical decision in your life on which all your coming life, here and hereafter, is based.

Now, enjoy pure monotheism and become a Muslim. Already did? Enjoy practicing Islam and being a Muslim. Welcome to Islam!

Join now. Change now. Survive now.

For any help, contact our team now.

References:

You can read more about Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon them) in Islam through the following links:

• Muhammad: The Messenger of Allah 
• Prophet Muhammad: You should know this man!
• Outlines of the life of Prophet Muhammad
• The story of Jesus and Mary in the holy Quran
• Jesus: A Prophet of God

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