Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. With each day that passes by, the number of followers of Islam continues on increasing and people from all across the globe enter into the circle of Islam. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, His last messenger. Islam is for the whole of humanity and Islam unites together people of different colours, languages, races. and nationalities into one brotherhood. Allah says:
وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَافًا خَافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
“And let fear – those who, if they left behind offspring weak (and) they would have feared about them. So let them consciously revere Allah and let them speak words appropriately.” (Surah An-Nisa 4 9)
Allah says to His Messenger:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say, “If you love Allah, then follow Allah will love you and He will forgive for you your sins. And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Al Imran 3:31)
Islam erases all sins committed prior to becoming a Muslim. Allah says:
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِن يَنتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِن يَعُودُوا فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
“Say to those who disbelieve if they cease will be forgiven for them what [verily] (is) past. But if they return then verily preceded (the) practice (of) the former (people).” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:38)
Prophet (may the peace and blessings and mercy of Allah be upon him) said Islam, annuls what came before it. (narrated by Muslim). As soon as you become a Muslim all your previous sins are forgiven and you start a blank slate and a completely clean record. All the messengers of Allah told their people none has the right to be worshipped except Allah says:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ
“And not We sent before you any Messenger but We reveal(ed) to him that [He], “(There is) no god except Me so worship Me.” (Surah al-Anbiya 21:25)
It is easy to become a Muslim. To become a Muslim one must simply pronounce the Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith) with sincerity and conviction. It is a concise declaration that contains few letters; the light upon the tongue, yet heavy in the scales.
The Shahada can be declared as follows:
Ash-hadu Al-laaa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Wahdahoo Laa Shareeka Lahoo Wa-Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhoo Wa Rasooluhu. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One alone, without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. In the Quran, Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
“O mankind! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and We made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, (the) most noble of you near Allah (is the) most righteous of you Indeed, Allah (is) All-Knower, All-Aware.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13)
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and a strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human beings, then, one should pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. Allah says:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
“Indeed, the religion near Allah (is) submission/Islam. And not differed those who were given the Book except after [what] came to them [the] knowledge out of envy among them. And whoever disbelieves in (the) Verses (of) Allah, then indeed, Allah (is) swift (in taking) account.” (Surah Al Imran 3:19)
There are, however, seven conditions that must be observed before it can effectively make one a Muslim.
1. Knowledge (Al-ilm)
The Shahadah is the dividing line between unbelief (kufr) and Islam. It is also called the kalimah (word). Whoever says it with truthfulness will enter the Gardens of Paradise. It is a kalimah that Allah Himself has testified to, as have the angels and those who possess knowledge from amongst His creation. Allah says:
شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
“Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Him; as do the angels and those who possess knowledge. He maintains His creation upon justice. None has the right to be worshipped except Him, the All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (Surah Al Imran 3:18)
2. Certainty (Al-Yaqeen)
The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning of Shahadah without a blemish of a doubt. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ
” Only the believers (are) those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then (do) not doubt but strive with their wealth and their lives in (the) way (of) Allah. Those [they] (are) the truthful.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:15)
3. Sincerity (Al-Ikhlaas)
Exclusively worshipping Allah, which is contrary to shirk. This is what laa ilaaha illallaah points towards. Allah says:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
” And not they were commanded except to worship Allah (being) sincere to Him (in) the religion, upright, and to establish the prayer, and to give the zakah And that (is the) religion the correct.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah 98:5)
4. Truthfulness (As-Sidq)
Truthfulness (as-sidq), which prevents hypocrisy (nifaaq). Indeed, the hypocrites uttered it with their tongues but did not inwardly believe in what it signified. The Messenger of Allah said:
“Anyone testifies that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, truthfully from his heart, Allah would forbid his admittance to the Fire.”(Muslim)
5. Love and affection (Al-Mahabbah )
Love (al-mahabbah) for this kalimah and having love and pleasure for whatever it necessitates. This is contrary to the [state of the] hypocrites. Allah says to His Messenger (peace be upon him)Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind):
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say, “If you love Allah, then follow Allah will love you and He will forgive for you your sins. And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Al ‘Imran3:31)
6. Submission (Al-Inqiyaad) internally and externally
Submissive compliance (al-inqiyaad), by fulfilling its rights – which are the obligatory actions – with sincerity to Allah and seeking His good pleasure. This is its requirement. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ
“And he who submits himself to Allah, and does good, he has surely grasped a strong handle.” (Surah Luqman 31:22)
7. Acceptance and conformity (Al-Qubool )
Acceptance (al-qabool), which prevents rejection. This is achieved by acting upon what Allah has commanded and abandoning whatever He has prohibited. Allah says:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21)
How to declare the Shahadah
To declare the Shahadah ( Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illaallaah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-ar-rasool ullaah (i.e I bear witness that there is no God worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.)You may go to you’re a Masjid (Mosque/Islamic centre) and declare your shahadah or with another Muslim or you may contact us and we can help you say the shahadah on the phone or via online chat. If this is not possible then you may say the shahadah by yourself. Allah says:
يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ أَنْ أَنذِرُوا أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاتَّقُونِ
“He sends down the Angels with the inspiration of His Command, upon whom He wills of His slaves, that “Warn that [He] (there is) no god except Me, so consciously revere Me.” (Surah an-Nahl 16:2)
Once you have said the Shahadah then you will be like a New Born Person. Free of any sins. Just like a child is born sinless. As Muslims, we should allow Islam to change us into the kind of human beings that our creator loves and not try and change Islam to fit us. Allah also says:
وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ
” And turn to your Lord and submit to Him before [that] comes to you the punishment; then not you will be helped.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:54).
Therefore some old habits and ways of thinking will have to be left behind. It will take time to leave old habits and ways of thinking but as you become more Allah conscious, you will start leaving those old habits and ideas which may not be in accordance with Islam. Allah says:
مَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنكُمْ وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“What Allah restored to His Messenger from (the) people (of) the towns, (it is) for Allah and His Messenger and for the kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, that not it becomes a (perpetual) circulation between the rich among you. And whatever gives you the Messenger, take it and whatever he forbids you from it, refrain. And consciously revere Allah. Indeed, Allah (is) severe (in) penalty.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:7)
It is imperative that a new convert takes things slowly after converting to Islam. Moreover, in addition to the slow incorporation of Islamic values in life, a convert should try learning more about Quran and Islam either with the help of books or by seeking guidance from a teacher or mentor to make sure that the understanding of tenants of Islam is clear and it can be incorporated in life with ease and effectiveness.
