Summary
The process to become a Muslim is very simple, two phrases need to be proclaimed with full belief. The phrases, known as the Shahaadah (lit. Testemony), are:
“ASH-HADU AN-LA ILAHA IL-LAL-LAH
WA ASH-HADU AN-NA MUHAMMAD-AN RASOO-LULLAH”,
which translates as:
“I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”
Prior to this a person should have a basic knowledge of Islam and understand what it is that they are testifying to. One should know the Six Pillars of Faith which are; Belief in Allah, the Prophets, the Scriptures, the Angels, the Day of Judgement and the Divine Decree.
Full Answer
Islam is a religion of reason, and before accepting, you should at least have knowledge and belief in the six Pillars of faith which are: Belief in Allah, The Prophets, The Scriptures, The Angels, The Day of Judgment and the Divine Decree. Once you are familiar with this, and you wholeheartedly accept the pillars of faith, then you are ready to become a Muslim.
Two essential things are required from a Muslim;
1. Faith – This is to believe in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is God’s messenger and also affirm the 6 pillars of faith.
2. Obedience – This is to follow the commandments which God has given to mankind in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah (The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]).
To become a Muslim, you need to simply proclaim two statements to declare your newly adopted faith. This is done by pronouncing the Shahaadah (the declaration of faith), with sincerity and conviction.
The Shahaadah is first proclaimed in the Arabic language and is as followed :
“ASH-HADU AN-LA ILAHA IL-LAL-LAH, WA ASH-HADU AN-NA MUHAMMAD-AN RASOO-LULLAH”, which translates as: “I TESTIFY THAT THERE IS NO DEITY WORTHY OF WORSHIP EXCEPT ALLAH ALONE, AND THAT MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH ”.
As for the first testimony of belief that (I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone), this means that one believes and confirms that there is no one or anything to be worshipped other than Allah alone and that one is prepared to implement His divine rulings and guidelines (shari’a) for all aspects of life.
The second testimony of belief that (Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) pertains to the belief that he Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] is the seal of the prophets (i.e. the final one), whom Allah has sent with the Islamic religion to supercede all other previous revelations revealed by Him (Allah [such as Judaism and Christianity]) and that it is obligatory to comply with what he has enjoined, and to abstain and renounce all that he has prohibited. (Note: Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was a human being and nothing that he stated in Islam was from himself.)
This is the first and most important pillar in Islam, which affirms true monotheism and with which the Muslim attests to the worship of Allah alone. The Muslim also attests to the prophethood of Muḥammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). It is recommended, but it’s not a requirement to bathe after saying the shahaadah.
Once you have declared the Shahaadah, you are a Muslim (congratulations), and the next step for you is to learn about the other pillars of Islam. For this, we recommend you do a quick search for your nearest Islamic Awareness Centre or New Muslim Support group. You could also reach out to a practicing Muslim that you may know of. If all else fails… we do not mind you sending us an email.
A good website to visit is www.MuslimNow.org which teaches the basics of Islam. Once these duties are learned, you should carry them out as much as you can.
As you can see embracing the religion of Islam is actually an extremely simple process, without complication or prolongment. This is because it is something between a person and his Creator and there are no other parties involved. All that is required of a person in order to embrace Islam is that he or she pronounce the two testaments of belief in the Islamic creed and believing in their meaning.
