12 Tips for the Convert Muslim
1. Practice Islam as much as you can
“He who loves my Sunnah has loved me, and he who loves me will be with me in Paradise.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Tirmidhi)
As a new Muslim, you will have trouble keeping up with prayers every day, fasting during Ramadan, and the many other practices in this religion. The struggle that we face, with such a radical change in lifestyle, is difficult and will take some time. Awkward moments are bound to happen, don’t fret. You are not expected to wake up at 4am every morning to pray tahajjud (extra night prayers). If you have problems with certain practices, then gradually work yourself into the mindset of worship. A counselor once told me when I was young, “How do you eat an elephant? Just One bite at a time.” Think of it as one step at a time. Pray to Allah (swt) and ask for Him to make it easy for you and the rest will come naturally.
Keeping up with your devotional practices is something that will strengthen your faith immensely. Read the Qur’an whenever possible. Find a collection of hadith, such as Riyadh us-Saliheen, and read it often. You will start to feel a connection to Allah (swt) and you will become used to Islam as a religion and way of life.
2. Respect your parents
“Heaven lies under the feet of your mother.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Ahmad, Nasa’i)
Keeping up a good relationship with your family is essential. Try to avoid bringing up or taking part in controversial subjects regarding religion. This is almost unavoidable, but your parents will eventually accept that Islam is not going to turn you into a terrorist if you stay calm during these tense moments. Gradually, your parents will gain some respect and understanding of Islam and may start to become genuinely interested. This is a great sign and insha’Allah, God will make a way for them to accept Islam.
What you do not want to do is act like you know everything, attempt to debate everything, or overly defend yourself in a way that might make you angry or upset. This will just cause heartache and uneasiness. Your priority now should be to work on yourself.
3. Find a teacher
“For him who follows a path for seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the path to Paradise.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Muslim)
Finding a teacher to bounce ideas off of is a great way to learn your deen (religion). I found it is good to find someone with as much knowledge as possible who also has an understanding of the English language and American culture. It is difficult to listen to someone with a thick accent or someone with a back-home mentality. When I first accepted Islam, I would drive every day to visit my teacher and I would ask him what seemed like an endless stream of questions. Sometimes he seemed overwhelmed! This is a great way to clarify things you hear on Sheikh Youtube or Google or any part of the Qur’an you are reading at the time.
This will also help you have a real grounding in the Islamic tradition. You will eventually have spent more time learning Islam than most people from Muslim families. Maintain a sense of humility if you do gain a lot of knowledge, as there will always be someone who will be more knowledgeable than you. Learn everything you can in small chunks, no one is asking you to be a scholar!
4. Keep away from debates and arguments
“Verily anger spoils faith as aloe spoils honey.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)
Trying to constantly defend your religion is something that will cause you a lot of stress. I remember when I first accepted Islam, it seemed like the whole world was after me. This may happen to different people at different levels, but it was a very overwhelming experience for me. The best thing to do is avoid these arguments at all costs. If you are mature about your religion and display a desire to explain yourself without refuting others, then many doors will open for you. You are bound to give someone a refreshing view of Islam, which is what so many people are hungry for after seeing Islam in such a negative light in the media.
Staying away from these discussions will put you at peace and give you breathing room. A lot of converts are not really comfortable with bringing up their religion because of the backlash they receive. Personally, I recognized that if I just mention it when necessary, I get a more positive reaction. You’ll be surprised to hear “Oh that’s cool dude, what made you pick that religion?” This is always an opportunity for da’wah (inviting to Islam).
5. Gain a connection to the Arabic language
“Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand.”
-The Holy Qur’an, 12:2
This is one of my favorite parts of becoming a Muslim. To be honest, I’m a language-lover and I realize everyone is not the same in this regard. Just because you failed high school Spanish though doesn’t mean you will have trouble with Arabic. There are many tricks to learning the language that I won’t go into here, but there are ways to make this easier on yourself. These methods can be found online or in books; with a little research you can pave your way to gaining an understanding of Arabic.
Start by learning the alphabet and connecting letters together. You can learn this in an afternoon if you know someone that is a native Arabic speaker (but go at your own pace). Sit on that for a while and eventually you will be able to follow along in the Qur’an if you listen to a recitation on your computer or MP3 player. You will start to recognize words, after which you can get into simple grammar rules. I recommend learning common nouns and prepositions first (words like “in”, “on”, “for” and “with”).
Arabic can be really enjoyable, and you are bound to gain an Islamic vocabulary after listening to talks or lectures. Eventually you will know meanings of words like “furqaan” and “sajdah” and you’ll be able to use them in conversations with Muslims. Sabr (patience) is essential!
6. Understand Islam’s organic nature
“Those who make things hard for themselves will be destroyed. (He said it three times.)”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Muslim)
Coming to Islam will sometimes put you in a situation where you are overwhelmed with opinions that are hard to follow. As an example, one might be told that you have to wash your feet every time you make wudhu (ablution) unless you wipe over leather socks that have been worn from your previous wudhu. For most Americans, the idea of wearing leather socks is something that we find extremely unusual. If we do a little research, we find there are opinions of scholars that mention the permissibility of wiping over cotton socks (even ones with holes in them!). To an American convert, these opinions can cause a huge sigh of relief.
7. Maintain your Identity
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
-The Holy Qur’an, 49:1
Being a Muslim is a huge part of your identity now. That doesn’t mean you can’t barbeque with your friends or watch football on Sundays. If there are things in your culture that do not directly contradict with basic Islamic creed, then you are welcome to keep those things in your life. You do not need to start wearing Arab or Indian clothing. As long as your clothes cover what they are supposed to cover, you are in the clear.
Many converts are also exposed to really weird food that is overly spicy or funny tasting. This might lead us to think that eating curry is sunnah or something righteous. We can still have our own culture and tastes in food: pot roast and beans are still halal!
There are many other examples of things that you will be exposed to that are from foreign cultures and do not necessarily have anything to do with Islam. Our goal as new Muslims is to worship Allah (swt), not to add a Pakistani or Arab identity to our persona.
It is good to have a teacher who understands the subtleties of different opinion in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and can inform you of differences among the scholars on issues that are of concern. Most people in masajid will have a very limited view of the juristic possibilities inside the Islamic tradition. Islam is a vast tradition and we should not make it small. These diverse opinions are there to help us, not cause strain on ourselves.
8. Force yourself to go to the masjid
“The person who receives the greatest reward for the Salah is one who lives the farthest and has the farthest to walk.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Bukhari, Muslim)
Going on Fridays is a given, but I would also recommend trying to fit a few prayers (at least) per week in the masjid. This will open many doors for you and will insha’Allah grant many good deeds to your account. You will meet people who are connected to Islam; networking opportunities are more readily available; and you are bound to make long-lasting friends. This is one of the things that I really love about Islam, that you can almost always find people in the masjid.
Although this may be hard initially, try and go to the masjid. The payoff will be huge, even if you just pray and leave right after. You will eventually warm up to the community and you can feel more comfortable going to the masjid whenever you like.
9. Find Muslim friends and avoid severing ties
“On the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will proclaim: “Where are those who have mutual love for My Glory’s sake? Today I shall shelter them in My shade where there is no shade but Mine.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Muslim)
Saying “As-salamu ‘Alaykum” ( “Peace be upon you”) to people you see on campus or at the grocery store is a real blessing in Islam. It immediately lets people know you are Muslim and they usually will be happy to return the greeting and hopefully share a few words with you. Doors of friendship will be opened and you will meet lots of people. Try and spend some time with Muslims when you can. It is beneficial to remind yourself that you are not the only Muslim on the planet and you share your religion with almost 2 billion people around the globe.
Also, don’t sever your friendships with your non-Muslim friends unless they are constantly partying or using the list of major sins as their weekend to-do list. You can be a light to your Christian, Agnostic, Jewish, or Atheist friends. You never know who Allah (swt) will guide, and showing that you are living an ethical life can encourage these people to learn a little about Islam or change their mind to having a positive view of the religion.
10. Avoid Loneliness
“Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Muslim)
This is a major problem in the convert community. We are lonely. The best thing we can do to fight the feeling of loneliness is to spend as much time as possible with good company. Having dinners with people a few nights a week is a sure way to maintain a good attitude. The practice of becoming a nun or a monk is alien to Islam; we are social creatures and Islam recognizes this.
Try not to lock yourself away in your apartment to avoid the world. This will just cause a vicious cycle that will cause deep depression and can lead to searching for solace in haram (unlawful).
Make it an obligation on yourself to remain a sociable human being. It takes a lot of work but the result is happiness and contentment in life.
11. Stay away from extremism
“And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people.”
-The Holy Qur’an, 2:143
Most converts do not enter Islam looking for an extremist point of view. Unfortunately, we have seen some converts do end up overseas working for terrorist organizations. This is something that can happen from a person feeling victimized or ostracized by their own culture and being overcome with anger.
I personally have not had a problem with anyone trying to “radicalize” me. It does happen enough though that it should be a concern. It will be best for you to keep your head on your shoulders and not get caught up with extreme points of view. Know that all of the scholars overseas and in America have absolutely refuted terrorism in their fatawa (legal rulings). Extremism is on the very edges of the Islamic thought. Do your best to stay on a middle way.
12. Do not despair
“So know that victory is with patience, and relief is with distress and that with hardship comes ease.”
-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Being a convert to Islam, you will face a lot of tribulations. There is not anything that you cannot overcome though, and never despair in Allah (swt).
Allah (swt) guided to you to Islam, you searched for the answer and you found it. Be happy and constantly remind yourself of the blessings in your life. There are a lot of good things that will happen to you and you are on the straight road to Jannah (paradise). Rejoice in being Muslim. Remember the Sahabah (companions) were all converts to Islam and they were human beings that came from Adam and Eve just like you! Be strong and find comfort in your prayers and worship to Allah (swt). The first six months were the hardest for me, and insha’Allah we will all continue to grow as a convert community in America.
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I love being a convert to islam. I am at peace with Allah and the prophet Muhammed(sorry i am a terrible speller.) I am starting my fast today. I am happy now!
wow that is so amazing im pleased that you like the religion islam. im really proud to be a muslim and i could not be happier
I became muslim since 11 years and I feel peace every days because of Islam! Of course I met lot of troubles with ex friends and family who doesn’t understood my choose but this mean nothing
For all converters : keep the way of Islam and try to do what you think is wright without hurt others.
Some people will attack our religion but try to stay quiet and aware to explain (without breaking your head or heart!!). I’m french and these days are difficult for muslims here and most for converters like me… fortunately I leave in Paris!!
I’m sorry for my english which I read better than write, I just hope you can understand what I want explain….
May Allah bless all muslims
Assalamu Alaikum-
Although I think this article has a lot of good points it also has some racist comments in here that are very hurtful. I really think that part of becoming a Muslim is examining the ways our culture may be racist or xenophobic and letting go of these traits. I am uncomfortable with the article saying “listening to someone with a thick accent or back-home mnetality…”. And calling food “overly spicy or funny tasting”. Those are really hurtful ways of talking about the culture of your brothers and sisters. Think about it, would you want someone to refer to your own culture or race that way? I find a lot of people who convert to islam dont let go of their racist thought patterns and store a lot of anger toward having to mingle with other races! Yes it is very hard to be a convert I am one myself, but it is really not acceptable to talk about other cultures and groups whether muslim or not as being “foreign or strange”. We have to examine the ways we carry white supremacist or “American supremacist thoughts” and realize that it is wrong. We have to acknowledge that it is not okay to feel comfortable putting other cultures down and seeing our own as “the norm”. Thats part of becoming a muslim- realizing there is a big world out there of different cultures and one is not better than the other. And one type of food is not better than the other etc. We can have personal preferences without calling other peoples food “overly” anything. Our hearts and minds need to be open and accepting to our new brothers and sisters. We should value them and their cultures and see the good in it instead of judging them and being narrow minded and seeing our own culture as superior. I know it can be isolating and the opposite can occur with other people making “us” feel bad but two wrongs dont make a right!
I love convert/reverts for life Mashallah for their devotion,challenges and steadfastness and sacrifices.
I have read this article more than 7 times in few months only to check new comments.
But the above comment by brother or sister “Deen” is just out of this world. Top quality analysis without any prejudice and respect for every one without blaming. Its truly a high level of thinking but unfortunately not easy to achieve and not every one makes these intellectual calculations before commiting an act.
If this happens with every new revert and he/she does not asscociate such things with Islam,then i can guarantee u that there will be no one leaving islam and apostasizing since defect in a person or culture does nt mean defect in Allah,Prophet and Islam.
i pray for guidance and hidayat for all humanity not in islam yet,for the families of reverts and for steadfastness of Reverts and that born muslims be helpful and welcoming to new muslims and do kind dawah to non muslims.
Let’s try not to have bad suspicions about the words of our brothers. Calling food spicy or weird is hardly racism. In my local community, the spiciness of food is like an inside joke, and I’ve never known anyone to feel offense from it. It’s natural to find the food of different cultures “weird” or even off-putting. The Prophet (SallaLLaahu alayhi waSallam) had food preferences, some of which were aligned with tribal tradition and what he was used to, but who interprets that as being judgmental against others who like that food even if he himself in many ahaadeeth described that food with unpleasant characteristics (like the lizard in particular)? He (SallaLLahu Alayhi waSallam) also said what means, “there is something about the eyes of Ansari women” when advising men from Mekkah about marriage… this is a cultural observation from someone who knows what the men of one area find attractive so that they don’t rush into marriage with women from another area and later realize they find something unappealing or a turn-off from them and later hurt their feelings by divorcing them or preferring more “familiar” women over them. Where’s the racism in that? Where did he (SallaLLahu alayhi waSallam) or this author (Alex from Dallas) say that his race was BETTER than the other?? Good thing the author didn’t say anything about cultural clothing preferences or else some readers might think he was trying to start a Muslim KKK movement after he was already accused of carrying white supremacist thoughts!
You seriously have to take the words of people and try to give them a good spin and not rush towards harsh judgment or let shaytaan play with your mind into making everyone seem to have ill intention.
Many accents of other people are in fact very heavy making their English difficult to understand. You especially find that when travelling throughout the Muslim world. That’s just a fact, and I’m sure a lot of word recognition software would display the same conclusion, and it’s a stage every language learner goes through. How the heck is that racist!? Many times I find some Arabs difficult to understand in English so I speak to them in Arabic. And some of them think my Arabic is difficult to understand so they speak to me in English. Am I a racist for that?? I might do the same with Urdu speaking brothers if I knew the Urdu language also. The author of this article is definitely not racist as he advised other new Muslims to sit with knowledgeable Muslims. He only distinguished between those who were difficult to understand and those whose knowledge of Islam was limited to culture, nothing else.
Even during the battles that Muslim armies waged in the first century AH, most of the armies were grouped according to tribe/country. Is that racist to group them like that, or do we have to be a big melting pot? Not necessarily, as in times like that you need to be around people you have the utmost trust in and experience in dealing with and understand their words and gestures without any misunderstanding in communication. No racism in that at all.
Overall, I thought the article had a very worldly view to it without any *hint* of racism, which is the only reason why I felt obligated to write all this.
I don’t know anyone that hates racism and nationalism more than myself and I personally find it a huge turn-off and generally refuse to sit with anyone who makes clear racist statements. But with that, we have to recognize what racism is and isn’t. Merely finding something from another culture/tradition different or calling it foreign is not racist in the least. The word “foreign” doesn’t have any racist connotations whatsoever. Some people in fact have a predilection towards foreign things and to them the word has a positive meaning and their homes are decorated with foreign items and they like foreign garb, foreign cars, and hang out with foreign friends and may even be attracted to foreign folks of the opposite gender. And Prophet Loot (alaihis-Salaam) referred to his guests as munkaroon (soorat al-hijr) meaning strange, unfamiliar, foreign. Is he a racist for that since he obviously described them with this word and they weren’t from his town? Hell no.
The author wrote a piece for new Muslims. So he addressed them according to what is familiar and normal to them, without ever saying that such background is “supreme” or “ideal” or “better”, but just the “norm” which is a neutral word entirely, and relative to who you’re speaking to. In this case, new Muslims. In another case you may be present with people from one company, get to know them and their habits/policies, so then when they visit another facility or firm you brief them on what they are going to encounter that is different from what they’re used to and how to easily adapt. There’s no “putting down” in there whatsoever.
Let’s please try to understand what racism is and isn’t before having ill thoughts about our brothers, and let’s ask Allah for guidance, and protection from the shaytaan.
Jazak Allah Firdous for detailed explaination
but brother Deen (against whom i made the first comment said “” I am uncomfortable with the article saying “listening to someone with a thick accent or back-home mnetality…”. And calling food “overly spicy or funny tasting”. Those are really hurtful ways of talking about the culture of your brothers and sisters.))
I understand and agree with ur view 200% and personally dont have issues with it but if many people are hurt by it then is’nt it better to avoid it ?
wellsaid.
I have to disagree with brother Deen, with all respect. The author is pointing out things that converts will most likely encounter that may be difficult. I’ve been to events at a masjid where the only food served was un-eatable because it was painfully spicy. My kids couldn’t eat either. The author is saying we don’t have to change the things in our life that are halal, and we don’t have to adopt other cultures, which may seem strange to us.
It’s also natural to have a deeper connection with people that we can communicate comfortably with and who understand us well. That’s also just normal, it’s not being racist to mention that. I’m sure people who speak only Urdu feel more comfortable communicating with people who speak Urdu and who understand their cultural mentality.
As’Salaamalaikum Christine and to all.
Yes you’re right Christine; food is an aspect of culture…and has nothing to do with religion which trumps all culture.
I was born and raised in America and love my meatloaf and mac-n-cheese; but I don’t expect my Indian-Pakistani-South Asian-Arab brothers and sisters to enjoy that…but it’s all good because what’s more important is the faith that bonds us…not the food, language, clothing,etc.
This is an interesting article with many good valid points,however,i would like to suggest that the word convert is not appropriate.A person accepts Islam and in so doing submits to the power of Allah and accepts Prophet Muhammed ( saw) as his last messenger.if the person previously believed in Christianity or Judaism then he comes to a realisation that islam is the final message and logical conclusion to a line of prophets that came as a message for the whole of mankind and for all time. The new follower of Islam does not there fore convert . He has opened his heart and accepted the only true reality within his heart . I was brought up a Roman catholic and accepted Islam elhamdulillah about 35 years ago .My dreams hopes and aspirations have changed over the years and a sense of dissolution prevails because of the state of muslim states and practices in the world but the beauty of the vision of Allah and the knowledge that we came from Him and to Him we will all return is the only truth that prevails.May Allah bless all of us with personal insight and integrity.Follow the middle way in everything and you will have a happy meaningful life . Do not let the barriers of prejudice and extremism cloud the beginning of your journey . Communicate with many because your attitude and example may be a guiding light for others who are searching for a pure simple belief.Do not make what ws intended to be easy difficult .All things will come to pass in time .
nice.
Thank you.. I found the article very enlightening. I don’t live in America but in Australia. I have been struggling [as a revert] for a year now because of my living in rather rural area and all but one of my family are dead against Islam. My Aussie Muslim friends are all rather busy people, do not live close to me, and I don’t get to see them very often. The nearest masjid is over 50 miles away. I spend time with muslim friends in the M.E., when I can, and recently one of them who I looked up to, was so hurtful to me with unnkind opinions/words. He is not the kind of person one can argue with. This kind of thing makes me feel rather inadequate and unworthy, to say the least. I keep up my Q reading and listening. I have been trying to learn Arabic for 4 years on and off. I have sooooo many questions. This article has given me some encouragement. In my reading of it, I didn’t find it racist, but simply honest to the ‘general’ of reverts to find something of use in it. I am sad that Deen wasfelt hurt though. I know how it feels.
Salam Alikum brother M from Australia,nice to see u and i applaude your love and attachment with the religion even though u have many tests. Sad to hear about ur situation and how people(born muslims mostly) are not helpful towards reverts and u too.
if u want u can contact me through e mail and hopefully we can talk and answer ur questions if i have them,otherwise i will ask some scholars,
U can reply back on this message about ur decision,I am just toooo far away to help any reverts practically,i wish,one day,i do that
Aslam Alaikum
I liked the suggestions revert brother has given. We have to look at the picture as a whole.The true beauty of Islam lies in the brotherhood and sisterhood.Myself I was and still involved in helping Revert sisters in possible wayI could Alhamdulillah, I must admit I had to be very patient and forgiving to the sisters with the Grace of Allah swt. I could see they would take help from other sisters but only invite or be generous with the sisters from their own community which is Eastern Euorpean , that is truly sad .That kind of selfish behaviour only repel people,revert brothers and sisters should learn muamlat as they learn Ibadah .Islam ask as to cover all departments of human life.
JazakAllah Khair
To new Muslims I first say welcome to the way! I then say beware false prophets who offer insults camouflaged as advice. I’ve been physically interrupted in masjid mid-salat for being a degree off from facing Mecca. American converts are vulnerable to ‘know it all’ Muslims. Listen patiently, smile broadly, say thank you, forgive them, and get away. You must teach yourself and find how Islam can work for you. And may I say to my immigrant brothers, unless we ask, don’t offer. Please.
ma sha’Allah, thats beautiful,
Asalamu Aleikum, and welcome to Islam, and to be part of Loving muslim comunity/family, I Love you all coz of Allah,
I have Been 8 years a Muslim, I’m from Colombia, I live and study in Egypt for three years now Alhamdu lillahi Rabb Al alameen.
To All converts: study deeply Surah al Ankabut… Best Advice I can think of… Love you all… See you in Jannah In sha’ al Rahman…
Salaam alikum brothers and sisters. I am a 27 year old woman living in london and am interested in learning more about islam and how i can accept it. I have already begun offering praise to Allah and accept allah as the 1 true creator. I am also considering dressing more tastefully and covering my head in public so i guess that is a start but would like some more advice. Any would be appreciated. Grace and peace be with you alll.
wa alaikumu as-salaam sister laura,
i am from maldives and therefore there is limited help i can offer you from here. acceptance of islam begins with the delcaration (Shahada) that ‘there is no god but GOD (Allah) and Muhammad (PBUH) is his slave and messenger.’ and then you bear witness to this declaration in Arabic. in order for you to do this you will need to find a mosque in your locale. from there i believe all you have to do is make one inquiry and you will be guided to an imam or head of the mosque who will help you take the Shahada.
fortunately in this day and age finding a mosque is so very easy when all you need to do is an internet search.
Once you have taken the Shahada i believe that the imam at the mosque will guide you and place you in the capable hands of sisters and brothers who will help you with the rest of whatever it is you will need to do.
Even if you aren’t quite ready to take the Shahada immediately, the brothers and sisters will be most welcoming of your questions.
Of course i cant stop here. This is something new reverts and those who are considering converting should be made aware of. Allah SWT tells us in the Quran: “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And ALLAH will certainly make known those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars. [Al-Ankaboot: 2-3]
So, once reverted hardships and turbulence are very likely to come your way (check out the life of dr. lawrence brown and the suffering he went through once he embraced islam and how he triumphed over everything and his position today). as long as you remind yourself and believe that these are merely tests of faith you will be heading in the right direction in sha Allah.
I hope this was helpful. To say the least i am so excited that a new sister is considering embracing Islam of her own free will.
May Allah bless you in heaps now and in the hereafter.
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Good advice Yusuf except for the first part. She doesn’t need to go to a Masjid to say Shahada she can say it right now.
jazakallah khairan akhi for the correction.
Laura I’m a convert or revert have been for 9 -10 years I hope I can help if you need to ask anything I’m also in the uk so if you can email me that will be great .
Great article how is your advice hurting any one ?
It’s hard to start with all the new things I never heard of any one being offended by calling a food spicy that’s a bit over sensitive and to be honest it is ignorant to the the whole point of your article the point is that our broth is trying to make is to give a better understanding and to advice new Muslims it is a time of great change from shedding clothing especially for us women we have to dress differently and there are many cultural differences in islamic dress hijab s ect then there’s different cultures to confuse us even more .
So long as we stick to pure Islam the holy Quran and the Sunna we will all be on the right path anger at new Muslims for trying to find there way is something we really do not need .help and love and kindness on the other hand is more than welcome
Alhumdulillah we are very
Lucky to be Muslim
Allah hafiz brothers and sisters
Subhanallah!! Im soo happy to see all of u here.. just need a quick advice.. what can I do to convince my boy friend (non-muslim) to see the light of islam? Pls advise n share your experience.. shukran
well you can start off by teaching him some rules of islam , what you can do and what you cant and secondly if you’re trying to convert him into a muslim then you can take him to the masjid and show him what a wonderful religion islam is
jazak’Allah khair my brother this article help me alot.. I love being a new shahada
Salam aleikum wrwb dear brothers and sisters
Masha Allah very good advice for the new brothers and sisters in islam,i didn t find it racist,but realistic,i m not a revert but i understand the points about the food or style when it comes to reverts sometime they get confused,islam is about Qoran and sunnah.and not about cultures,so not to confuse that.A lot of muslims from muslims background confuse their culture with islam so the advice here is simple.follow the sunnah of rassullah sallallahuu aleihi wa salam like eating with ur hands etc,but not follow something that has nothing to do with islam.
Salam aleikum wrwb sister laura
welcome dear sister masha Allah i m.from london too masha Allah, there is a big community in london masha Allah, check.out on facebook.solace for.revert sisters in.diffiiulty and masjid al tawhid are specialised in helping revert masha Allah or east london mosque,there are so many places masha Allah in london contact me i ll bore than happy to help you get in.touch insha Allah.it depends.what part of lomdon u r from then i ll indicate u insha Allah.may Allah make it easy to understand the deen.ameen
Make it easy for you.ameen
Salaams
I have been blessed like other Muslims to be born in a family who is Muslim. There was a turning point in my life where I voluntarily searched for the truth rather than just blindly following what ever my parents have done. Culture is a beautiful aspect in our lives, it gives color and diversity – but only healthy when not confused with the pure teachings of Islam.
It was hard trying to be consistent prior to my realization. Parents would say do this, this and this and this amount of raka’at, that yearn to understand was being starved. But when I sought for more info and knowledge over the past year I just started to with praying my Fardh and keep up with them. Slowly my emaan and belief was invested and grew relative to my actions and intentions. Today, I am that same person but with added ‘spice’ of Islamic understanding in my life. There are times where I will be lazy and sluggish for salah and there are times where I would feel rush of emaan, a direct dose of it strait the the Qalb. Giving saleem, knowing that my heart is sound when I am consistent with the small things of worship and action pertaining to Islam. Our journey is different with many routes but the Goal which Islam gifts is a unified concept.
PS: Recommending is 100 Dhikrs and 100 Salutations to a new muslim or Muslim converting to ‘enhanced submitted muslim’ is dangerous and can lead to overwhelming and burdening oneself with our simple way of life. Islam. I make Dua (I haven’t read all the reply, posts and comment) to all you Brothers and Sisters, and Imamm webb to have consistency in our worship through many means in our life.
Guys, smile. It’s Sunnah
I disagree with you on Debate and discussion session. We have to defend Islam and engage in debate. You shouldn’t have brought it up here, remove it, it bears no logic. It matters to those who are vulnerable to stress, with less knowledge about Islam, but those new convert brave and strong they may defend Islam through peaceful words.
i cannot thank Allah enough for being born as a muslim although i envy people who found Allah and converted.. Elhamdullah
Salamu alaykum to all my fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. Recent revert myself about at the six month mark since taking shahada. Great article, definately there is a lot of wisdom in the points raised. I myself was an idealist that expected all muslims to be perfect, but the reality started to kick in. It’s a beautiful learning experience though, we meet people in all levels of practice, lifestyle, and mannerisms. We all have baggage that needs to be shed. We all have something to learn from others. And we all have something to contribute. What makes this lifestyle so beautiful is that we are constantly learning beneficial knowledge that we can actually practice to better not only our lives here in this dunya, but to prepare us for the hereafter. One of the tips that I really support, all of them are good, is that of finding a teacher. Nothing wrong with taking advice from here and there, but for solid learning, we need to build relationships with the people of knowledge. This is great advice. So many times I asked a question to get an unsatisfying answer, due to not understanding what is really be asked, or how to properly ask what it is I need an answer to. Building a relationship with a teacher will help to fill in those gaps and understand each other better, as well as provide an environment of comfort which is needed to learn. Also, not taking part in the debates I feel is a good one. At first I felt really defensive with a need to defend Islam, as if because of what someone said or thought would actually diminish Islam. All that would really happen is that I would get frustrated and worked up, and probably due more to lead the person away from Islam rather than improving his opinion about it. I just feel that the debates have their place, and those taking part need to have wisdom, respect, and character otherwise shaytan will get the best of them and they will end up arguing and fighting. Arguing with fools is a waste of time, and we will never convert a single soul. Allah is the one who guides, we should reform our own hearts as that will have a greater impact on others than the ego battles called debates lol. That being said there’s plenty of people doing that, as a revert we should focus more on ourself and not losing eman. We must do everything to hold on to this precious deen as shaytan will do anything to try to get us to recant. Me personally I was always very interested in other cultures so that aspect was easier for me, but I understand why for others it can be apprehending. That being said we should keep an open mind as there are many ways to do some things, and this is a mercy from Allah. Deen is over culture though of course and we should always strive to have more Islam in our identity than whatever culture or ethnicity. We’re all from Adam, and we’re all one big family of believers that want to be together in Jannah in sha Allah. The last thing I want to share is kind of a parable I guess. I’m no chemist ace but I think most of us have either taken chemistry or have a somewhat basic understanding about how atoms and molecules are structured. As muslims in society we live our lives different than the non-believers, nothing wrong with that. People are always more concerned about fitting in. We should really be concerned about fitting in with the Ummah of Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa salam. Growing up in the United States, this society revolves around work, school, and entertainment. People base their private lives around their work life and are stuck in a consuming depressing cycle. We as muslims bring change to this dead end way of life. As muslims the masjids should be the nucleus of our lives. Everything we do should revolve around the masjid. The masjid brings us together to worship, learn, eat, socialize, and worship some more. When muslims lives start revolving around the masjids and not work or whatever other dunya pursuits that might take our time, our society will have a different spin and we will begin to see the barakah of Allah in our communities. The masjids are the centers of our communities and we need to fill them! So many empty buildings just waiting to be converted to masjids/masalas with muslims filling them up.
Salamu alaykum to all my muslim brothers and sisters i just reverted and i know i will never regreat making this step in my life i hope to start taking guidance on the quran and how to be a good muslim
Wa alaykumusalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Why don’t you start with the first surah you are supposed the learn? A surah is a part of the Quran. Al-Fatiha is the first surah in the book and the first one you need to know. It is also the greatest surah.
Asalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu, thank you for these suggestions. I am a recent revert, I prefer to use revert as I feel we go back to the original roots from the womb not converted them. Suban’Allah after a year of soul searching in Islam throughout 2011 and half of 2012 I took Shahada on 2 Ramadan 1433 H. It is has been a rollercoaster. I started out strong and zealous by fasting the month of Ramadan, learning all Sunnah prayers, night prayer, learning Arabic, trying to learn all schools of thought, monthly fasting, cut out all old habits, etc and now I find I’m loosing steam, I’m also very alone and live alone after recently two yaers ago separated from my then husband of 20 years and my children live with him. I have no Muslim husband, no Muslim family and no Muslim friends. I do go to Masjid on Fridays and do have Qur’an study on Sunday’s with Muslim Sisters but they are all busy with their families or jobs. I also do not drive a car and transportation to get anywhere is difficult. I struggle with Bipolar for 35 years and now I felt a sudden drop in energy and hit depression. This is normal in Bipolar with a life changing event especially if it’s a positive change, take off like a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier only to find out we burned the fuel to fast and didn’t pack any reserve. If only I had this advice about taking slow I may not have become so overwhelmed. Allah Subana Wa Ta’ala I know is so merciful and I feel the mercy and relief come to me unlike any other time in my life before Islam and now I am finding balance as I slow down a bit and take some breaths. I also struggled with finding culture as a reverted Canadian Muslim I have been looking for a culture to fit into since really I cannot seem to find a Canadian Muslim culture as I was more used to the Canadian Christian culture. Your posting helped me realize I’m not alone as a revert in trying to find balance especially with the hadith
“Those who make things hard for themselves will be destroyed. (He said it three times.)”-The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Muslim).
I recently read one forum and a Muslim brother giving advice to reverts telling them we are to take it easy, we’re not supposed to drive a Monster truck over the bridge to Paradise. JazakAllah Khairan
why did you take an Arabic name? that is a not a requirement of Islam. You don’t have to take Arab culture. Arabs need to respect other cultures just as we need to respect other cultures. but, you don’t have to take their culture to be Muslim. Keep you name, your identity and your culture. Faith in God transcends culture. Anyone who tells you different is selling you something
(I have been away from the website for a time and am “catching up.”)
Salaam alaikum, Sister. Please be aware that you are not alone. Sometimes just knowing that can be a help and comfort. You are not alone in having come to Islam in more mature years (so many converts are just young adults), in being all alone (my social life is my temperamental pet cat), and in dealing with mental health issues (as I have also for many years). You are fortunate in having a Qur’an study group to attend. That may be very useful. Keep it up. Some people do not even have that much.
A couple of evenings ago I went to a small “Islamic center” (nothing more than a couple of rented rooms) for the first time in a long, long while. Because of health issues (physical as well) I had to leave early, but one man whom I had met once before helped me up and murmured that Islam is a deen of ease (something like that, I think he said). At times, having had rules dumped all over me at the beginning, it does not seem so, and sometimes I wonder why I even pay any attention at all, but I occasionally come back.
You are not alone.
happy to hear about your sacrifices and ur firmness during struggles with which you went through after reversion and ur strong commitment and study in deen.
Reverts muslims for me are the “Ideals and role modles” i adore them,no matter wat race,color,age….still unlucky to meet one though, all wat i have known about them is by you tube and these blogs. I dont understand why muslims do not valur them very much,it is very sad & tear jerking.
Any how,all reverts and you too are in my prayers,best wishes of both worlds .I am not married but i can feel ur heart after seeing ur kids get away from you,Inshallah ur reward will be unfathomable,Inshallah and msot of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh} were reverts,so u guys have so much to be thankful and proud of and nothing to loose
and u are right, dont do excess.Excess in anything is bad.I have a new addition to this old quote “slow and steady wins the race,fast and furious looses the race”
Jazak Allah Firdous for this Eman Elating Story