In the name of Allāh, ar-Raḥmān (the Most Merciful), Ar-Raḥīm (The Bestower of Mercy).
It is a great virtue and blessing to be approached by a non-Muslim who is interested in Islām, a person should feel blessed that Allāh has chosen him/her to fulfil the blessed duty of conveying Islam and possibly enter a person into His religion – in essence opening the door to Paradise for that person by the guidance and permission of Allāh.
This blessing should be appreciated as there is much reward in it. If a person accepts Islām due to your guidance – after the guidance of Allāh – you will be rewarded for every act of worship they perform thereafter. This means every rak’ah they pray, every āyah they recite and every little they give in charity, for you is a share of reward from Allāh. The Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever guides another person to a good deed, will have the reward of those who do it, without the reward of both people being decreased.
Whoever guides another person to a bad deed, he will suffer its heavy burden and the burden of those who practice it and without the burden of both people being decreased. [Sunnan Ibn Mājah]
However this opportunity must be fulfilled properly and given its due right by a person who is able and qualified to do so, otherwise, wrong information or using a lack of wisdom could distance the person from Islam.
What should you do before the Shahādah?
When a person shows interest in accepting Islām, it is assumed that they already have some knowledge about Islam. It is important to not delay them unnecessarily, as this may result in the individual becoming hesitant, unsure or even death coming to them before entering Islām. Nor should a person tell them to think about Islam further and ‘come back when they are sure’ or delve into the finer details of ḥalāl and ḥarām. In most cases, they will have some questions they want answering before accepting Islam. The main concept they must understand is tawḥīd and shirk. Islām is a religion that recognises One Creator, who must be singled out in all forms of worship and no other being is entitled to any worship including Muhammad, Jesus, any saint or righteous person.
After this, they must understand the risālah – that the One Creator communicates to His creation by sending Prophets, Messengers, and His divine books. The Messengers such as Ibrāhīm, Mūsa, ‘Eesa and Muhammad – may peace be upon them, are not objects of worship, rather they are simply people who taught us about the Creator and how to worship Him.
The word “God” can be used to refer to Allāh whilst giving Da’wah as it means Supreme Being. It is not however a name of Allāh. So Allāh is not invoked by the word “God” because we have been ordered to invoke Him by His names:
{And to Allāh belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names} [07:180]
If there are other questions or misconceptions, a Dā’ee or Imām who possesses knowledge, wisdom and the correct ‘Aqīdah should be approached. In any case, the focus is on tawḥīd and risālah, and a person should not be distracted by discussing issues such as hijāb, jihād, beard, marriage etc.
If the person is willing to accept these two core concepts of tawḥīd and risālah, they are ready to enter into Islām by verbalising the Shahādah.
What should you do during the Shahādah?
The Shahādah does not have to be said in the Masjid, or in front of many witnesses, nor does a person have to be in a state of wudū, however, they must not be intoxicated. It can be done at any place and time. It is preferred however to be done in the Masjid with a person of knowledge so the person will develop a relationship with the Masjid and can have any questions answered.
It is important to show understanding and act accordingly, perhaps too many people will overwhelm them or conversely a group of people will add to a positive environment; the overriding factor is to be sensitive to the person wanting to accept Islām.
It is important to explain each step of becoming a Muslim to the person before they do it; do not assume he/she understands what Shahaadah is. So you explain to them that in order to accept Islam they must verbalise what they already believe in the heart, and that is by saying certain words in both Arabic and English, which they will repeat after you. This should be broken down in smaller words to make it easy.
Begin by saying:
أشهد
“ash-hadu” and the individual will repeat after you.
أن لا
“al-lā”
إله
“ilāha”
إلا الله
“illa Allāh”
وحده
“waḥdahū”
لا شريك
“lā sharīka”
له
“lahū”
وأشهد
“wa ash-hadū”
أن محمدا
“anna muḥammadan”
عبده
“abduhū”
ورسوله
“wa rasūluhū”
If some of the words are uttered incorrectly, there is no problem in repeating those words.
*If the person wanting to accept Islām was a believing Christian who used to worship ‘Eesa, after the second Shahādah they should be taught to say:
“wa ash-hadu anna eesa abdullāhi wa rasūluhu wa kalimatuhū al-qaha ilaa Maryam wa rūhun minhu.”
After the Arabic, the new Muslim is taught to repeat the meaning of what they said:
Begin by saying “I bear witness” and the individual will repeat after you.
“there is no deity/god”
“worthy of worship”
“except Allāh”
“He is alone and has no partners.”
“I bear witness”
“Muhammad is”
“the worshipper of Allāh”
“and His final messenger.”
* And if the person was formerly a practising Christian, they repeat:
“…And I bear witness that Eesa/Jesus was a worshipper of Allah, His Messenger, His word which He inspired to Maryam/Mary and a soul from Him which He created…”
A new Muslim is informed that by uttering this testimony they have affirmed what they already believed in their heart, is now a Muslim and one of our brothers/sisters.
In most cases, this is an emotional step for any person and can be overwhelming, so it is important to offer words of encouragement, and celebration and make sincere supplication for them in a language that they understand.
In the future, the new Muslim may require a certificate for official documents or for travelling, so again the presence of a male/female representative of the Masjid community is a good step to take.
What should you do after the Shahādah?
Entering into Islam and verbalising the Shahādah is the easiest step in being a Muslim, the more difficult phase of the journey is to follow. After the emotional step of taking the Shahādah and being in the company of several Muslims, the new Muslim will ultimately return home alone, and this can indeed be a lonely experience. Therefore, maintaining contact, exchanging contact details, inviting them to our homes, gatherings, lessons, and dinners, and integrating them into the community is very important. It is crucial they are offered continuous support and build relationships with other Muslims with whom they can feel comfortable discussing issues relating to their private matters. Special care should be paid to times such as Eid, Ramadān, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, etc
It is good practice for a ‘support worker’ or ‘new Muslim mentor’ to be designated from the Muslim community to be the first point of contact for Islamic matters. To avoid confusion and mixed messages, guidance on such matters should be coordinated and the individual should seek advice from a Daa’ee or Imaam.
There should be no segregation between “reverts” and “ethnic Muslims”, in fact, such terms do not exist. There is only a Muslim, and many “ethnic Muslims” themselves are “reverts” if we consider the instances of shirk, kufr, and abandonment of Ṣalāh which they were upon. So every Muslim is obligated with the same matters, and is in need of the same knowledge. Of course a ‘new Muslim’ is in need of special care and attention during the first months, other than this they are a Muslim like any other with no segregation.
What do you need to teach them first?
The steps taken in teaching are in accordance with the teachings of your Prophet ﷺ. When he sent Mu’adh Ibn Jabal to the Jews and Christians to invite them to Islām, he said:
Verily you are going to a people who are the People of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians). So inform them that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they accept this from you, inform them that Allah has obligated 5 prayers upon them during the day and night. If they accept this from you, inform them that Allah has obligated Zakāh upon them, it is taken from the rich and distributed amongst the poor… [Al-Bukhārī]
The above Ḥadīth sequences the obligations:
-
Shahādatayn – Tawheed and Risaalah as mentioned previously.
-
Ṣalāh – the Five Daily Prayers
-
Zakāh – the Obligatory Charity
And then after this, the other pillars of Islām and aspects of Aqeedah will be learned by attending lessons, reading books etc… However, issues pertaining to Ṣalāh, and before it Wudū and Tahārah (purification) are learned through the ‘new Muslim mentor’ and/or a Dā’ee or Imām. Initially, a new Muslim can pray by merely imitating the actions of the congregation and is taught to repeat Allahu Akbar to start Ṣalāh, and then say “Alhamdulillah”, “SubhānaAllāh” and “Lā Ilāha illa Allāh” throughout Salaah. Then Sūrah al-Fātihah should be taught, and eventually the other statements of Ṣalāh.
It is important to allow the new Muslim to learn at their own pace and this requires patience from both the mentor and the new Muslim; more so when the Qur’ān is being taught beginning with the alphabet/
Books, Apps and the Masjid
The most effective form of Da’wah and teaching is in attending the Masjid lessons, Friday sermons, being able to question a Dā’ee or Imām – in person or via email; and other informal gatherings with righteous Muslims. This is the base of Islamic learning and will remain so. So a new Muslim should be regularly reminded and invited to attend the Masjid.
In certain situations, such as work commitments or distance, a person may not be able to attend the Masjid regularly. In such instances, books, websites, and apps can be helpful. Advise new Muslims with such avenues however ensure that they are authentic, and do not contain any form of Ghuluww (extremism or exaggeration).
May Allāh guide us all to His straight path; may peace, blessing and salutations be upon our beloved Prophet.
Written by the one in need of Allāh,
Abul Abbaas Naveed Ayaaz
Nelson, Lancashire
19 Jumaada al-Awwal 1439 AH
Corresponding to 4th February 2018.
