In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Overview
This article first discusses how to convert (or revert) to
Islam and provides details regarding the performance of ablution and
purification acts, and it wraps up with some of the rewards and blessings
promised to those who call others to Islam.
Introduction
The word 'Islam' basically means 'submission' and it is derived
from the Arabic word for peace. Islam teaches us that to achieve peace of mind
and peace in our hearts, we must submit to Allah and live life according to His
law. Total submission is all that is required to enter this glorious religion.
Islam is the only
religion that Allah will accept on the Day of Judgement, and every other
religion will be rejected.
In the Quran, at two
different places Allah says:
"Truly, the religion
in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Quran, chapter 3, verse 19).
"And whosoever
desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in
the Hereafter, he will be in the ranks of
those who are lost." (Quran, chapter 3, verse 85).
Blessed are those who do
not fall for the distractions of this world and are in search of the true
meaning of life, and have found Islam as their path and have found their heart
ready to enter this religion of peace.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every
child is born in a state of fitrah (a natural inclination to be free of
false beliefs and to believe in One True Lord) and then his parents make him
into a Jew or a Christian or a Zoroastrian." [1]
It is for this reason that when people accept Islam,
we say that they are actually reverting
to the Islam that they were born into, instead of saying that they are converting to something that is new, because it isn't!
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) also said: "If a
servant accepts Islam and completes his Islam, Allah will record for him every
good deed that he performed before [his Islam] and Allah will erase for him
every evil deed that he did before [his Islam]. Then everything after that will
be according to retribution. For every good deed, he will be recorded ten-fold
up to seven hundred fold. And for every evil deed,
he will be recorded similarly, only [one] for it, unless Allah overlooks that
for him." [2]
This is a special bounty that Allah has bestows upon whomever He
chooses for this blessing.
Before you revert
Before reentering the fold of Islam, you should spend time
thoroughly studying the religion so that the decision to revert comes from the heart
after knowing the implications of the decision, the importance of taking the
step, and understanding what is required of you once you have taken your
testimony of faith (the Shahada).
Your
acceptance of the faith and your readiness to submit yourself to Allah should
not be taken under any pressure of any kind. Remember that there is no
compulsion in religion and that nobody can force someone else to become a Muslim
against their own, free will.
To become a Muslim, you should know and believe in your
heart that the following (which are called the articles of faith) are true:
- That there is One Allah (the One True God)
- That He has created Angels
- That He has sent down Holy Books (Scriptures) for the guidance of mankind
- That He sent Prophets and Messengers for the guidance of mankind
- That the Last Day (the Day of Judgment or the Day of Resurrection) is true and will come to pass
- That fate or destiny, whether good or bad, is from the decree of Allah
At
its core, being a Muslim means believing that these things, all of which are
part of the unseen world, are the truth. Everything that follows after that is
based on belief in the above.
Please read the 5 pillars of Islam: http://learnislam1.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-five-pillars-of-islam-that-you-must.html
How to revert to
Islam
Embracing Islam is very easy, and anyone can become a Muslim.
You can even do it if you are alone. Entering Islam does not require a special
ceremony or specific procedures of any kind that have to be performed in front
of other people, nor does Islam require the consent of other people. It is a private,
personal matter between the person and Allah and does not require the
permission or acceptance of family, community, or court.
The steps for reversion are as follows:
1.
Make the intention to
embrace Islam and say the following terms with faith and belief (these are the
words of the Shahadah):
-
"Ash-hadu anna la ilaha illa
Allah" (I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah)
-
"Wa ash-hadu ana Muhammad Rasulullah" (And I bear witness
that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)
2.
After saying the Shahadah, take a shower to purify your
body and symbolically cleanse yourself from your past life and wash away the
sins you committed before Islam.
Although you can say the Shahadah alone, if you need the help of
another Muslim for pronouncing the words correctly or for moral support, then
there is no harm in asking any Muslim you know to help you. If there is an
Islamic center or mosque near where you live, you can go there for additional
help. You can also find additional details and materials online, but performing
the two basic steps above will suffice for
you to re-enter the fold of Islam and
formally become a Muslim.
After you enter Islam
Becoming a Muslim is not a single-step process but it is a
lifetime commitment. After you have entered Islam, study it slow and gradually,
and follow it in your everyday routine according
to your own abilities. In every decision you make, first think about what Islam has to say about the matter. The
general rule is to ask yourself this: What does Allah want from me now, and
what are the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding it?
Do not shy away from asking questions. No one is perfect,
everyone learns something new every day, and even if someone is born a Muslim,
that does not guarantee that they are perfect or are guaranteed anything.
Everyone has their own struggles and tests designed by Allah for that specific
person based on the path and story that He wants for them in life, to teach
them, to open their eyes to the right thing at the right time, and to slowly
yet surely help them make their way through the maze of life.
Learn by reading
books, and remember that the Quran itself is a complete guide that should be read
and studied every day, even if for only a few minutes.
An authentic narration of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) states: "Islam is built upon five [pillars]: The testimony that
there is no god but Allah and that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah;
establishing regular prayer (salat);
paying obligatory charity (zakat);
performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj);
and fasting during the month of Ramadan (sawm)."
Once you have entered Islam, you need to learn about all these pillars of Islam and how to perform
them.
Help others to revert
and practice Islam
If you are a Muslim by birth or you reverted at any age, it
is a blessing of Allah Almighty. It is a blessing to have your heart opened to the
only religion that is acceptable to Him, and it is a blessing to be amongst the
nation and followers of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). You should be
grateful for it and thank Allah for every breath you take as a Muslim.
As a Muslim,
it is your duty to make sure others are aware of this divine religion as well.
Remember, however, that in this regard, we are not held to account for
outcomes, and we cannot make anyone accept Islam. We can only be a beacon of
light and show others the way, and the rest is up to them. As mentioned above,
Islam is not a religion of compulsion, and it is a personal choice, so spread
the message in the best way you possibly can and pray for the guidance of
others and leave the rest to Allah.
Allah says in the Quran:
"You (the true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and the
real followers of the Prophet Muhammad and his tradition) are the best of
peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin good (i.e. Islamic Monotheism
and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid evil (polytheism, disbelief and all
that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah." [Quran, chapter 3,
verse 110].
If someone embraces Islam or does any good deed as a result
of your preaching, you will be rewarded with the same reward that they are
given every time they do any good, that
too without any reduction in the reward of the one practicing it. This is why
the Quran refers to belief and calling to the path of Islam a very profitable
'trade' (Quran, chapter 61, verses 10 and 11).
If you can call one person to
Islam, and they call five people, and the chain continues, then for every
single person in the chain who comes to Islam because of your efforts, you get
a full reward for every single one of their actions because they would not have
been able to do the good they are doing if it were not for you. What a
profitable trade indeed!
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The one who
guides others to goodness will have a reward like that of the one who does
it." And he (peace be upon him) said to his cousin ‘Ali (may Allah be
pleased with him), when he sent him to the Jews of Khaybar to call them to
Islam: "By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you, that would
be better for you than having red camels (the best kind)." And he (peace be
upon him) said: "Whoever calls others to right guidance will have a reward
like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in
the slightest."
References
[2] Recorded by Malik and al-Nasaa’i. According to al-Albaani, it
is Sahih. Al-Albani, Saheeh al-Jaami,
vol. 1, p. 122
