How do I become a Muslim? [steps + 7 reasons]

It is easy to become a Muslim. Regardless of your race, color or nationality, you can always become a Muslim as long as you believe that Allah is the only true God, that Muhammad (PBUH) is his prophet/messenger and that there is no other truth than the Qur’an and Islam. But how do you actually become a Muslim and what are the different things that you have to take into account? If you want to learn more about converting to Islam, continue reading right below.

The right time to become a Muslim

Are you considering becoming a Muslim? Then it is not wise to keep postponing the moment because you believe that you must first learn more about Islam or that you must first be able to pray properly. Do you have the correct knowledge about the most important basic principles within Islam such as the six pillars of Iman, the five pillars of Islam, do you believe in Allah, the prophets, the Day of Judgment and the revealed Books? If you have knowledge about these things and you intend to observe them as well, then you can easily become a Muslim.

7 reasons

There are many reasons to believe in Islam (the number 7 is seen as a lot in Arabic). A part of humanity converts to Islam through personal experiences, think of the beautiful azan in an Islamic country like Turkey or Malaysia. But there is also a lot of scientific evidence that agrees with the Quran (discovered by science after 1400 years!). Believing and knowing are very close to each other in Islam. So you can conclude that there is only one God based on this piece. It can’t be anything else; that’s the starting point.

Humans are insecure and live in an illusion. An illusion that everything came from nothing. We all assume that a painting is by definition always made by a painter (the person who made the painting). But why don’t we think that way about the creation of the universe?

Below an overview:

1. Scientific evidence agrees with the Quran
2. Why God exists and why Allah is the only true god
3. No religion is as strong as Islam in prayer
4. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has achieved successes that no human being can achieve (future and past) + see biography of the prophet
5. Islam is the religion of all prophets
6. The Quran is of such a high level (eloquent + depth etc.); no book tips this. Moreover, there is not a single book that is literally recited word for word by millions of people (hafiz). This is 604 pages! (also read: why the Quran is in Arabic)
7. The only religion that fasts together in the whole world for 30 (or 31) days (the brotherhood: rich or poor, young and old: everyone is equal)

The meaning of the word Islam

The Arabic word “Islam” means “submission”, and is derived from a word meaning “peace”. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to attain true inner peace and security of heart, one must submit to Allah and live according to His Divinely revealed Law.

Islam is not a new religion because “submission to the will of Allah”, i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the eyes of Allah. Therefore, Islam is the true “natural religion”, and it is the same eternal message revealed to all of Allah’s prophets and messengers down through the ages. The main message of all prophets has always been that there is only one true God and that only He is to be worshipped. These prophets begin with Adam and include Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all.

The creed

The creed of Islam consists of two parts:

1. You bear witness that there is only one God whom you should worship and that is Allah. You will not worship any other God and will do anything to honor Him in every aspect of life.
2. You testify that Allah had a messenger named Muhammad ﷺ . Muslims follow the word of the prophet as Muhammad ﷺ  himself spoke with Allah.

Accepting Important Beliefs

There are some important beliefs that you need to recognize. It involves beliefs that every Muslim must believe, including:

• Allah: As a Muslim, you believe that Allah is the only true God you should worship.
• The Angels: These creatures of God who obey every will of Him.
• The Revelations: These are the manuals that God has revealed to the messengers or the prophets to help mankind.
• The Messengers: These are the prophets who convey the message of God. Remember not only the last Messenger Muhammad ﷺ , but also Jesus, Moses, Noah and Adam,
• The Day of Judgment: This day comes as soon as you die and you have to answer to Allah for all your deeds.
• Predestination: You acknowledge that only Allah knows the past and the future.

Why do you want to become a Muslim?

Becoming a Muslim can be easy, but you must have a valid reason why you want to become a Muslim. Becoming a Muslim because your husband or wife is also Muslim is not a good reason. You must be fully convinced of the truth of Islam. If your arguments for becoming a Muslim are not valid, then you are not allowed to convert to Islam. Becoming a Muslim is not a decision you take lightly. It is better to read the Qur’an first to see whether the way of thinking of Islam fits your own religion.

Since the Quran is the word of God, guidance comes from Him. Try it, open the Quran to any page and start reading. From my own experience I can say that you will receive an answer/guidance to a situation that you have recently experienced.

Allah is the only God

You can only become a Muslim if you believe in Allah. In doing so, you must be convinced that there is only one God, and there should be no doubt about this. The prophet Muhammad ﷺ is also important, as he was the last prophet of Allah. Jesus, who also plays a major role in Islam, had predicted the coming of Muhammad ﷺ.

What do you have to do to become a Muslim?

You can embrace Islam at any time you wish, regardless of your age. The Shahada is a declaration of what you have accepted in your heart. Have you reached puberty yet? Then you have to participate in the rituals that are obligatory for every Muslim. If you live in a multicultural country such as the Netherlands, it is wise to first visit an Islamic center for more information. You can receive an official certificate. The Testimony of Faith (Shahada) is pronounced as:

Practicing the Shahada

I testify “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”

These Arabic words mean: “There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and Muhammad ﷺ is the messenger (prophet) of God.” Once a person says the Declaration of Faith (Shahada) with conviction and understands its meaning, then he/she has become a Muslim.

Interesting fact!

Pronouncing the testimony and really believing with the heart makes you a Muslim. Pronouncing the testimony without believing it (with your heart) makes you a munafiq (a hypocrite). Pronouncing the opposite (e.g. forcefully stating that you do not believe) does not make you a non-Muslim (i.e. it is allowed in e.g. wars where prisoners of war say they do not believe in Islam while they do so with their hearts ).

The first part, “There is no true deity but God,” means that no one has the right to be worshiped but God alone, and that God has no partner or son. The second part means that Muhammad was a true prophet, sent by God to mankind.

To be a Muslim one must also:

• Believe that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God revealed by Him.
• Believe that the Day of Judgment (Day of Resurrection) is true and will come.
• Believe in the prophets that God has sent and the books that he has revealed, and in his angels.
• Accept Islam as his/her religion.
• Do not worship anything or anyone except God.

Becoming a Muslim certificate: explain- Islam.net helps!

We are increasingly asked whether we can arrange an official certificate. First the question, why should you have a certificate at all? As mentioned before, it is not necessary in principle, but if you want to go on a hajj, for example, it can certainly come in handy to have an official and recognized certificate. We can help with this. We issue the certificate through our mosque in Amersfoort. Even if you do not want a certificate but want to convert to Islam under the guidance of an imam, we can help you with that!

Step-by-step plan to become a Muslim (recap and guideline)

• Step 1. Islam is more than a faith, this religion is a way of life. You will be guided in every aspect of your life. For example, when you put on your clothes. You cannot blindly believe in Islam. So you can’t be a Muslim just because your ancestors were Muslim. You have to believe in Islam yourself, there are 6 aspects involved 1) Faith in Allah 2) Faith in the angels 3) Faith in the books (the Quran (is unchanged), the original Bible, the original Torah and the original Zebur .)) 4) Belief in the prophets/messengers 5) Belief in the hereafter 6) Belief in the destiny/destiny of Allah Read also: what is the purpose of life.
• Step 2. Find a local mosque. In the Netherlands you usually have many Turkish and Moroccan mosques. Within the Turkish community you have the familiar Diyanet mosques and Milli gorus mosques. You can safely go to 1 of these 2 mosques (spread throughout the Netherlands). The Moroccan mosques do not have an umbrella organization but are often local initiatives. Most importantly, be sure that the mosque is of the ahli sunnah and follows a madhab ( madhabs are 4 law schools that you can also find on our site for more info).
• Step 3. How do you find a mosque? It is best to go to a local mosque that corresponds in description to step 2. You can just walk in and tell someone you want to become a Muslim. The community will then help you directly. Option 2: go to the blue mosque in Amsterdam or to Islamcolor in Schiedam. (Option 3: You can also send us a private message via the contact form if you want to come in contact with a scholar/mosque through us. We know the imams personally so you know 100% that you are in the right place)
• Step 4. Pronounce the shahada (belief). By this you declare that you bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his prophet. It is best to do this under supervision in the mosque so that it becomes easier for you. It is not mandatory for witnesses to be present. It must eventually be made known among the Muslims because you have to be buried as a Muslim.
• Step 5. Now that you are a Muslim, all your sins are forgiven and you can quietly work on the other 4 pillars of Islam (prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj). Use our menu for more info.
• Step 6. A Muslim should participate in society. So make sure you surround yourself with good Muslims. Go to the mosque often and ask questions. The mosque community is always ready to help new Muslims. The upcoming Ramadan is an excellent opportunity to get to know new Muslims. Common iftars (breaking the fast) are often given. For example, think of the Ulu mosque in Utrecht on the square outside.
• Step 7. Now that you are a Muslim and all your sins are forgiven, it is not finished! Being a Muslim means working hard. Be good to your mother, to your father, to your family, to your neighbour, to your fellow man and to animals. Try to gain knowledge about Islam weekly and preferably daily. Try to reduce bad habits step by step. And try to improve yourself a little bit every day. Start small but be firm and regular. Start with yourself and don’t pay much attention to your environment, resistance from your environment can be a big test. We will discuss step 7 in detail in a subsequent article.

Islam is a beautiful faith and places great value on good character and good behavior. Family ties are also very important.

Convert to Islam; the conditions of the Shahada

There are a number of conditions attached to the Shahada. Thus, you should have knowledge of the meaning of the Shahada and you should not doubt the truth of Islam. There should also be no doubt about the aspects of Islam. You should accept the Shahada with all your heart and follow the will of Allah. Whenever you pronounce the Shahada, you should do so with all sincerity and honesty, and have only pure intentions. Finally, you should have love for the Shahada and deny any Muslim things that are worshiped besides Allah.

After the Shahada

After the Shahada, the new believer should take a full bath, rinsing both the nose and mouth. This is done to cleanse oneself, also called ‘ghusl’ among the Muslims. You should also remove all your armpit and pubic hair, keep your nails short and take good care of yourself. If you have pronounced the Shahada, then you are sinless in the eyes of Allah and from now on you must adhere to the 5 pillars of Islam:

1. The Creed
2. The ritual prayer
3. Fasting
4. The Pilgrimage
5. Giving Alms

Are you considering becoming a Muslim (converts to Islam)? Then you should first think about this carefully. You can easily become a Muslim, but it is especially important that you have a good reason to convert to Islam. Are you convinced of the things that are important in Islam, is Allah the one and only God for you and do you believe in his prophets? Then you only have to pronounce the Shahada and you can become part of the Muslim community. You can become a Muslim at any time regardless of your race, age or background because everyone is welcome.

Islam: True Path to Allah/God

Islam is the true way to Allah. What makes a religion valid over other ideologies is the evidence it provides for its truthfulness. Therefore, one must look at these evidences, weigh them and make an informed decision. One should be sincere in one’s pursuit and above all enlist the help of the Almighty to guide him/her to the right path.

If one is still not convinced of the veracity of Islam, then he/she can look further into the evidences that Islam provides. Islam offers overwhelming evidence of its truthfulness and is the only religion that fully appeals to common sense.