Becoming Muslim is the start of a journey, not an exam you must pass on the first day. This page covers the essentials and points you to people who can help.
The declaration of faith
A person becomes Muslim by sincerely declaring the shahadah:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah.
“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
No priest or ceremony is required. Many people say it at a mosque in front of witnesses, which brings community support, but the declaration itself is between you and Allah. Islam wipes out the sins that came before it (Sahih Muslim 121), so you begin with a clean record.
The five pillars
The Prophet Muhammad said Islam is built on five things (Sahih al-Bukhari 8):
- The declaration of faith (shahadah).
- The five daily prayers (salah).
- Giving the annual charity (zakah), if your savings reach the set threshold.
- Fasting in Ramadan.
- The pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), once in a lifetime, for those able.
Your first steps
- Learn to pray gradually. Start with the movements and Al-Fatihah, and add more over weeks. The Prophet told his companions to make things easy for people and not difficult (Sahih al-Bukhari 69).
- Keep reading the Qur'an. The 30-day reader is a good start.
- Find people. Look for a mosque with a new-Muslim class or mentor. You don't have to do this alone.
- Be kind to your family. The Qur'an tells Muslims to keep treating parents with kindness even when they don't share the faith (Qur'an 31:15).
- Be patient with yourself, and with other Muslims. Muslim communities include many cultures and traditions. Not every custom you see is part of the religion; when unsure, ask what the Qur'an and Sunnah say.
Need someone to talk to?
These services also support new Muslims, by phone or chat.