Whether you are wondering how to become a Muslim or in a quest to learn more about Islam, we would firstly like to welcome you with the Muslims’ universal greeting— Assalamu Alaikum. No, Assalamu Alaikum is not just reserved for Muslims, rather it is a greeting that wishes peace upon another, as it is translated to mean “Peace be upon you” – meaning I wish for peace and security upon you.
What is Islam About?
Islam is translated to mean peace, and, contrary to popular assumptions, peace is the core of this religion. To be Muslim, literally translated means “one at peace”, but what it really implies is one who is at peace with submitting to Allah. Certainly, the path to achieving true peace within oneself is through complete submission to Allah (translated to mean ‘The God’), and following His divine commandments revealed through Prophet Muhammad (SAW). It is indeed liberating knowing that we do not in fact control any outcome. It is Allah who does. So we do our part sincerely and leave the outcome to Allah.
Allah (God) says in the Holy Quran:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“Those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God- truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace.” [Surah Ar-Ra’d 13: 28]
But one may ponder… what exactly makes people convert to Islam making it the world’s fastest-growing religion and the second-largest religious group?
Islam’s Emphasis on Attaining Inner Peace and Leading a Purposeful Life
Humans in today’s world are on a hamster wheel, constantly seeking ways to accumulate the latest devices, clothes, etc. all the while competing with those around. Of course, it is important to lead a comfortable life, but it is immensely disconcerting if that is all your life is focused on and you are never satisfied with how much you have achieved. However, in the recent past, we find a surge in people attempting to find the true meaning or purpose of life, and that is exactly what Islam advocates.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And this life of the world is nothing but a sport and play; and as for the next abode, that most surely is the life, did they but know.” [Surah Al- Ankabut 29:64]
Muslims submit completely to the will of God—Islam identifies that the true purpose of life on earth is to worship Allah and Him alone. Every act of a Muslim should be done with the purpose of pleasing Him and in preparation for the afterlife— we are after all simply passers-by on this earth and our final abode is the afterlife. This belief liberates believers from the shackles of materialism while grounding us, and instigating the importance of leading a simple but fulfilling life. That is not to say that it is not permissible in Islam to enjoy anything of this world and be hermits, rather it means that we should not go into excesses far beyond our necessities.
A true Muslim who has submitted to the will of God ceases to worry about the world and its belongings placing their undivided trust on Him, because they are well-aware that whatever happens is solely by the will of Allah—every good and every bad. He watches over us and never abandons one who places their trust in Him. This certainly liberates you and allows you to find tranquility and peace within yourself and your world.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace & blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “Be mindful of God, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if God had written so…” Hadith 19, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi
Allah’s Love is Unmatched
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (Muhammad – Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying:
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: I live in the thought of My servant and I am with him as he remembers Me. (The Holy Prophet) further said: By Allah, Allah is more pleased wth the repentance of His servant than what one of you would do on finding the lost camel in the waterless desert. When he draws near Me by the span of his hand. I draw near him by the length of a cubit and when he draws near Me by the length of a cubit. I draw near him by the length of a fathom and when he draws near Me walking I draw close to him hurriedly. [Saheeh Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings be upon him), imparted that Allah loves us 70 times more than our own mothers—can you ever fathom such pure love? Allah absolutely loves it when we call upon him earnestly, and time and time again reminds us of his love and reassures us that He is watching over us and to place our trust in none other than Him.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
“Unquestionably, God’s friends have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve.” [Surah Yunus 10:62]
Muslims call unto His 99 names. He is the Most Forgiving and Most Merciful, and will never hesitate to forgive you should you err and repent to Him sincerely and commit to not repeating the mistakes. He has also vowed that anyone who converts to Islam will also be forgiven of all their past sins, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God)!
A Brotherhood/Sisterhood for Life
Have you ever wondered why Muslims call each other brother/ sister? Islam considers its followers a part of one family working towards a common aim—pleasing Allah and attaining his love and blessings. If you convert to Islam, you will also be an honorable member of this family.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” [Surah Al-Hujurat 49:10]
Anyone can become Muslim. Allah never discriminates against people by their color, race, nationality, social status— after all He is the one who gave life to us and provides for us. The best example of brotherhood in Islam is reflected in the Hajj pilgrimage where all Muslims not discriminated by their status in life, stand shoulder to shoulder wearing similar white garments, standing before the Kaaba and praying to Allah. The royalty, entrepreneurs, employees and the laborer’s all stand equal in the sight of Allah.
The Influence of Prophet Muhammad (Peace & blessings be upon him)
A number of those who became Muslim made the fateful decision after being inspired by Prophet Muhammad’s (peace & blessings be upon him) character and lifestyle.
“I wanted to know the best of the life of one (Muhammad) who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind. I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.” –Mahatma Gandhi
Yes, Prophet Muhammad (Peace & blessings be upon him) was gifted the sacred duty of spreading the message of Allah, which he was immensely successful at as Islam has now amassed nearly 2 billion followers worldwide. But what led those around him to immediately accept this new religion? His character. Long before he received his first revelation, Prophet Muhammad was already well-known to be an honest and trustworthy man; in fact, he was called Al-Ameen (The Trustworthy) by his people.
He was sought for his intellect and was trusted with peoples’ valuables. He was a just ruler and man of his word. He was quick to forgive people and even welcomed those who had previously plotted and fought against him and killed those dear to him with open arms to the fold of Islam. At a time when baby girls were buried alive, he vehemently shunned such practices and considered them the enemies of Allah, and raised the status of women giving them equal opportunity in the world.
In your quest to learn about Islam to become a Muslim, you may go ahead and read up on the lifestyle and characters of the Prophet and his companions to gain a better understanding of the values that Islam upholds. A good resource for new Muslims can be found on youtube here. If you prefer to read, click here (May Allah reward the authors of this book and the team that created the playlist on youtube).
Common Reasons Why People Convert
The following are common reasons given by converts for why they converted:
- Many converts report that when they read the Quran the first time (even a translation), they were convinced these was not the words of any human. This is especially clear to Arabic speakers.
- Though the Quran was revealed more than 1400 years ago, but scientific evidences from the Quran are being proven correct even today. None have been proven wrong.
- Intellectuals & critical thinkers find logical explanations in the Quran. Many Muslim converts attribute this as being the reason for their conversion.
- Many converts reported that people who invited them to Islam were able to give them answers to all their questions about their religion from Quran & Sunnah (the sayings & actions of Prophet Muhammad – Peace be upon him) whereas in other religions they were being given answers based on personal opinions.
- Some converts who were formerly Christian mention that in the Bible it is mentioned that God is only One, but that concept is only implemented in Islam (for the same God) – Jesus never claimed to be God, and he is very important to Muslims – appropriately as a prophet (as is Moses & all the other prophets all the way back to Adam)
- Many former Christians become moved by the chapter named after Mary (Surah Maryam) in the Quran – this caused them to convert because they knew it was the truth.
- Allah has promised in the Quran that it will be preserved – and the Quran has never been changed. Many people to this day memorize the whole Quran. This has been the case since the start – and as a result, the Quran has never been changed since it was revealed through Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
- All Muslims are equals and pray as equals – shoulder to shoulder – regardless of social status. This equality attracts a lot of converts.
- Charity is a central part of religion in Islam. Taking care of the poor and needy are engrained into the system of society in Islam.
- Islam came to protect & give rights to women at a time when baby girls were being buried alive in shame.
To read stories of other converts visit this Quora topic about How, why and when did you convert to Islam?
How to convert to Islam?
How to Become a Muslim?
- In your mind make the intention that you are going to convert to Islam. Pure intention is of absolute importance in Islam.
- Recite the Shahadah (the declaration of faith)
The Shahadah is as follows:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Transliteration: “Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa-Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasul-Allah”
This is the proclamation that
Translation: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”
The first part of this proclamation declares that there is only one God and that is Allah, and he has no sons or partners; whilst the second part declares that Muhammad is God’s final messenger and invites all Muslims to follow his teachings alone.
In order to convert to Islam, a person has to consciously and wholeheartedly accept and declare the proclamation.
If you have chosen to do so, we welcome you into our ranks. Nothing brings us more joy than welcoming someone for this reason. We ask Allah to guide you and grant you the best in this world and the next.
Understand the Five Pillars of Islam
Now that you have taken the Shahada, the next objective would be to learn about the five pillars of Islam. These are the most basic requirements of being a Muslim:
- Shahadah is the first pillar that a person who wishes to convert to Islam has to declare (as was mentioned above) and continue to hold onto in their belief until they die. If this is firm, all other requirements fall into place.
- Salah, the second pillar, refers to the daily prayers. Muslims face the Kaaba and offer the five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. Once again, to foster brotherhood among its followers, men are advised to visit the mosque whenever possible to pray in congregation rather than alone. Praying in congregation is much more rewarding than praying alone.
- Zakat, charity, is the third pillar of Islam. 2.5% of an individual’s savings (that has stayed with the individual for a year or more) should be given to the less fortunate. Of course, you may give more if you desire as Islam repeatedly emphasizes giving charity at every opportunity whenever you are able to – know that whatever is spent in the path of Allah finds it’s way back to you.
- Sawm refers to fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims all over the world have their pre-dawn meal and begin their fast at dawn, and end their fast when the Azan (call to prayer) is made for the Maghrib prayer (prayer at sunset). One of the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan is when Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) received his first revelation. The month of Ramadan is full of blessings.
- Hajj, the final pillar of Islam, refers to the journey that every physically and financially able Muslim should make at least once in their lifetime. Hajj is the religious gathering where over two million Muslims world over visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia and perform a number of rituals.
Of course, just knowing about the pillars is not sufficient, there is a lot more depth to Islam than that. Learning about Islam is a lifelong journey. No single person alive can claim that they know everything there is to know about Islam. But we can safely say learning about Islam and learning from our role models such as the Messenger of Allah – Muhammad & his predecessors (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon them), his companions & the ones that followed is the most fulfilling journey of all. A great resource for starting that journey is a free course for new Muslims at the New Muslim Academy
We wish you the very best. Our prayers are with you. Please remember us in your prayers as well. May Allah guide you to the path of the truth and keep you steadfast. May Allah forgive us and accept our good deeds. May Allah unite us in Jannah (Paradise) if not this world.
Assalamu Alaikum, wa RahmatUllahi wa Barakatuhu!
(Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings)
