Become a Muslim

How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim

The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process that requires no pre-requisites. One may convert alone in privacy, or he/she may do so in the presence of others. If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam. With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.  Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins: “Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Saheeh Muslim) When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not to be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible. The Holy Quran and Hadeeth (prophetic sayings) both stress the importance of following Islam. God states: “...The only religion in the sight of God is Islam...” (Quran 3:19) In another verse of the Holy Quran, God states: “If anyone 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 have lost (their selves in the Hellfire).” (Quran 3:85) In another saying, Muhammad, the Prophet of God, said: “Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word[1] which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) The Prophet of God, may God praise him, also reported: “Indeed God has forbidden to reside eternally in Hell the person who says: “I testify that none has the right to worship except Allah (God),’ seeking thereby the Face of God.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) The Declaration of the Testimony (Shahada) To convert to Islam and become a Muslim a person needs to pronounce the below testimony with conviction and understanding its meaning: I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.” The translation of which is: “I testify that there is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and that Muhammad is a Messenger (Prophet) of God.” To hear it click here or click on “Live Help” above for assistance by chat. When someone pronounces the testimony with conviction, then he/she have become a Muslim.  It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with an adviser through the “Live Help” at top, so he may help you in pronouncing it right. The first part of the testimony consists of the most important truth that God revealed to mankind: that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. God states in the Holy Quran: “We did not send the Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘none has the right to be worshipped except I, therefore worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25) This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only. Worship means the performance of deeds and sayings that please God, things which He commanded or encouraged to be performed, either by direct textual proof or by analogy. Thus, worship is not restricted to the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, but also includes every aspect of life. Providing food for one’s family, and saying something pleasant to cheer a person up are also considered acts of worship, if such is done with the intention of pleasing God. This means that, to be accepted, all acts of worship must be carried out sincerely for the Sake of God alone. The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad is the servant and chosen messenger of God. This implies that one obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings and avoid what he has forbidden. One must therefore worship God only according to his teaching alone, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by God. One must try to mold their lives and character and emulate the Prophet, as he was a living example for humans to follow. God says: “And indeed you are upon a high standard of moral character.” (Quran 68:4) God also said: “And in deed you have a good and upright example in the Messenger of God, for those who hope in the meeting of God and the Hereafter, and mentions God much.” (Quran 33:21) He was sent in order to practically implement the Quran, in his saying, deeds, legislation as well as all other facets of life. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, when asked about the character of the Prophet, replied: “His character was that of the Quran.” (As-Suyooti) To truly adhere to the second part of the Shahada is to follow his example in all walks of life. God says: “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love God, then follow me.’” (Quran 3:31) It also means that Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger of God, and that no (true) Prophet can come after him. “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you but he is the Messenger of God and the last (end) of the Prophets and God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40) All who claim to be prophets or receive revelation after Muhammad are imposters, and to acknowledge them would be tantamount to disbelief. We welcome you to Islam, congratulate you for your decision, and will try to help you in any way we can.

Was ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) a Jew?

Do muslims believe jesus was a jew? in the bible is says jesus was a jew.

Praise be to Allaah.

‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary – peace be upon him) was one of the noble Prophets of Allaah, and one of the Messengers of strong will, whom Allaah sent to the Children of Israel, and taught him the Torah and Gospel, and stated that he had come to confirm what was in the Torah, i.e., to reaffirm what was said in it, except that he abrogated some of its rulings, and permitted to his followers some of what was forbidden in it. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And He (Allaah) will teach him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).

49. And will make him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allaah’s Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allaah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.

50. ‘And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Tawraat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allaah and obey me’”

[Aal –‘Imraan 3:48-50] 

“And in their footsteps, We sent ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirming the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Maa'idah 5:46] 

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (2/44):

Tawraat and Injeel: The Tawraat is the Book that Allaah revealed to Moosa ibn ‘Imraan, and the Injeel is the Book that Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa (peace be upon them both). ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) followed them both. End quote.  

He also (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

“confirming the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before him” means, following it, not going against what was in it, except in a few matters where he explained to the Children of Israel that concerning which they differed, as Allaah tells us that the Messiah (peace be upon him) said to the Children of Israel: “and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you”. Hence the sounder view among the scholars is that the Injeel abrogated some of the rulings of the Tawraat. End quote. 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer (3/126) 

Hence it is known that ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) believed in the Torah which was revealed to Moosa (peace be upon him) and followed it; he did not go against it except in a few matters. 

The religion of Moosa, ‘Eesa and all the Prophets was, generally speaking, Islam, which means believing in the Oneness of Allaah (Tawheed) and worshipping Him alone with no partner or associate, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Truly, the religion with Allaah is Islam”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:19] 

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] 

And He tells us that Nooh (peace be upon him) said (interpretation of the meaning):  

“and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims (i.e. those who submit to Allaah’s Will)”

[Yoonus 10:72] 

And He tells us of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):  

“Ibraaheem (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Haneefa (Islamic Monotheism — to worship none but Allaah Alone) and he was not of Al‑Mushrikoon”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:67] 

And He tells us that Moosa (peace be upon him) said (interpretation of the meaning):

“ ‘O my people! If you have believed in Allaah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allaah’s Will)’”

[Yoonus 10:84] 

And He tells us that Yoosuf (peace be upon him) said (interpretation of the meaning):

“ ‘Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous’”

[Yoosuf 12:101] 

So it cannot be said of Moosa that his religion was Judaism, rather his religion was Islam, and his followers were called Jews (al-Yahood) because they said Hidna ilayka i.e., we have repented and come back; or because they are called after Yehoodhah (Judah) the oldest of the sons of Ya’qoob (Jacob – peace be upon him). Similarly, the religion of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) was Islam, not Christianity. The Christians (al-Nasaarah) are his followers who supported him (nasaruhu). 

But he (peace be upon him) was a follower of the Tawraat (Torah), who followed and affirmed it, because he was one of the Children of Israel, to whom Moosa (peace be upon him) had been sent, then Allaah revealed to him the Injeel (Gospel) in which was a confirmation of what was in the Torah, as stated above. 

What we have mentioned means that the religion brought by ‘Eesa was Islam, if what the questioner meant was to find out and ask about his religion. 

But if he was asking about the lineage of the Messiah (peace be upon him) and the people among whom he was born and to whom he was sent, then the Prophet of Allaah ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) was indisputably one of the Children of Israel, the Children of Israel who subsequently became known as the Jews, as we have indicated above. 

What the scholars state here is that he is to be attributed to his lineage and people, so it may be said that he was one of the Children of Israel. As for the word “Jew”, it is used to refer to a specific religion, so it should be avoided when referring to ‘Eesa (peace be upon him), even though we know that his people were the Children of Israel who used to follow the law of the Torah before him, and he came to confirm what was in it except for a few rulings which he changed. 

Ibn al-Atheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

‘Imraan ibn Mathaan [i.e, the grandfather of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) and the father of Maryam] was one of the descendants of Sulaymaan ibn Dawood (Solomon son of David). The family of Mathaan were the leaders and priests of the Children of Israel. End quote. 

Al-Kaamil fi’l-Tareekh (1/251). 

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

There is no dispute that she [Maryam – peace be upon her] was one of the descendents of Dawood (peace be upon him). Her father was ‘Imraan the prayer leader of the Children of Israel of that time. End quote. 

Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah (2/52). 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

There is no doubt that the people of Moosa were the Children of Israel, and the Torah was revealed in their language. The Children of Israel were also the people of the Messiah (peace be upon him). The Messiah spoke their language. Neither of these two Messengers addressed anyone in any language other than Hebrew; neither of them spoke Latin, Syriac, Greek or Coptic. End quote. 

Al-Jawaab al-Saheeh li man baddala Deen al-Maseeh (2/94). 

He also said: 

It is known from the consensus of the Christians that the Messiah did not speak anything other than Hebrew, like the other Prophets of the Children of Israel, and that he was circumcised on the seventh day like all the Children of Israel; he prayed facing their “qiblah” or direction of prayer, and he did not pray towards the east or enjoin praying towards the east. End quote. 

Op. cit. (3/32). 

For more information please see the answer to question no. 10277. 

And Allaah knows best.