Prepare yourself with a list of questions that will help you better understand the religion of Islam and address any doubts you may have. For example, you may wish to ask about how Muslims pray, the Muslims dress code or why Islam sets limits to gender interaction. If you have children and are thinking of converting, the imam will be able to advise about their upbringing.
Most mosques run single-gender courses and study circles suited to various ages and levels of religious knowledge, including new Muslims and their children.
Try to choose a translation that you can understand. Some are quite old and are hard to understand, while others are too in-depth and may be intimidating to non-Muslims and new Muslims. Sahih International is a good option. Remember that translations are fallible and are subject to error. When in doubt, consult multiple translations (or ideally, the original Arabic). Try to ponder over the meaning of the words you are reading. You can also listen to beautiful recitations from the Qur’an on platforms such as YouTube, often with sub-titles. Understand the importance of reading, reciting and memorizing the Qur’an to all Muslims, starting from a young age.
Muslims seek to follow the actions of Prophet Muhammad in the daily lives, especially through his acts of worship. This is known as the Sunnah. Studying narrations of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, known as ahadith (singular hadith), is very important to Muslims.
The declaration of faith. Praying five times a day. Giving charitable donations. Fasting during Ramadhan. Going on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, should one have the means to do so.
Belief in the oneness of God. Belief in the Angels, unseen beings who worship God and carry out His orders in this world. Belief in God’s holy books, the Torah, Bible and finally the Qur’an. Belief in the prophets sent by God to reveal His guidance, ending with Muhammad. Belief in the Day of Judgement, when all humans will either be rewarded with heaven or sent to the fire of hell depending on whether they have chosen to follow or reject God’s guidance. Belief that whatever happens in one’s life is preordained by God and should be accepted with patience or gratitude.
Success in this life and the next comes by accumulating good deeds and avoiding sins. Formal worship takes many forms including ritual prayer (salah), voluntary additional prayers, duas (invocations), dhikr (being mindful of God), reciting the Qur’an and fasting in Ramadhan. Additionally, acts such as obeying the dress code, following a halal diet, seeking Islamic knowledge and even raising a family are seen as acts of worship. Muslims are taught to acknowledge before God and seek forgiveness for every sin committed, no matter how small, or that sin will have to be accounted for on the Day of Judgement.
Learn about the compulsory acts of worship and the importance of completing them correctly. Find out about the actions that are tolerated in western society but are forbidden in Islam, such as drinking alcohol, backbiting and sexual activity outside marriage. Study why Islam’s laws and prescribed punishments have never changed since Islam was founded.
A few religions such as the Bábism, the Bahá’í Faith, and Druzeism have evolved from Islam but preach new concepts (e. g. new prophets and scriptures) which are deemed heretical by Muslims. [2] X Research source [3] X Research source [4] X Research source The Qur’an teaches that Islam is the final and only religion acceptable to Allah (3:85). [5] X Research source
Find out why Muslims do not celebrate any other holidays, birthdays, festivals, anniversaries or the like, beyond the two Eids.
