All praises to Allah, Lord of all the universe. All blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, His last messenger.
Some believe that to be accepted into the Islamic fold one must declare their intent to do so in front of high-ranking scholars or shaykhs. They must also report the act to the courts and other authorities and that accepting Islam should be supported by a certificate from authorities.
However to make it clear, everything is easy and that there’s no conditions or obligations to report to any authorities. Allah, Almighty is beyond comprehension and knows all the secrets of every heart.
To be a Muslim, you must say the Testimony Of Faith “Shahada” with sincere faith.
“Shahada” means that you believe in Allah as the only God and that He alone is worthy to be worshipped. It also means that you believe Muhammad, peace be upon you, is the Messenger of God and believe in his message. It also implies that you believe all of God’s Prophets, which includes Jesus, peace be upon them, who is a Messenger from God and NOT divine nor son of God.
Accepting this, all that is required to make you a Muslim is to say the Shahada and believe in its word for word.
“I bear witness to the existence of Allah as God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger Of Allah.”
Then, repeat the same testimony in Arabic.
“Ash hadu anlla ilaha illallah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan rasul ullah”
Faith is more than words, it is action. Therefore, after reciting the Shahada, one should learn how to fulfill his/her obligations as a Muslim. These are the main pillars and principles of Islam that you should know:
- Belief in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him)
- The Five Daily Prayers
- Annual charity to the needy and poor
- Ramadan is fasting
- Pilgrimage to Mecca (once a lifetime for those who can)
After the Shahada, the next step is to take a full shower (bath) in order to purify yourself for prayer.
