How to Become Muslim

Being a real Muslim is an excellent choice. Islam is all about believing that there is only one God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Welcome to the Straight Path.




Steps

1. Have a good mindset of Islam.Rest assured that the path to Islam is indeed very simple. Understand that in Islam one doesn't convert rather one reverts back to an "original" way of being human. In Islamic understanding every child is born innocent and stays so until puberty, thus all children that die young are taken directly to heaven. So when one "converts" to Islam he/she is actually reverting to their own original nature: Are you willing to commit yourself to Islam? You need to know that there is only one God and Jesus was a prophet and also that all prophets including Muhammad were directed by that one God.



2. Testify your faith by reciting:
   Ash-hadu alla ilaha illallah-wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasulullah"I bear witness that there is no God except Allah and Muhammad (SAW) is his messenger".



3. Purify yourself. Immediately upon becoming a Muslim, you should take a bath or shower, to purify yourself. This is both a symbolic act of washing away the past and being purified, of emerging from darkness to light, created afresh and also signifies the importance of purity in Islam.



4. Know the truth of Islam. You can learn a lot from translations of the Qur'an. Some of these translations may be harder to understand than others, however Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Pickthall are the two most common. However, it's much better to seek guidance from learned people if you can rather than simply relying on reading the Qur'an yourself. Your local mosque will likely have people who will be more than willing to guide and assist you in learning more about Islam and many have "New Muslim" study circles which are often a good place to start. Be careful, but relaxed, about finding someone who you feel comfortable with and who you are convinced has enough knowledge in order to teach well.



5. Offer your first prayer to God. If you're not sure how the prayer is performed, again it's best to learn from somebody you trust rather than go it alone. Prayer should be a relaxing, enjoyable activity and is best when taken time over. Rushing the prayer should be avoided in order to gain maximum benefit. Remember, prayer is a direct spiritual connection between you and the one who keeps your heart beating right now and who created the universe. It should bring serenity, happiness and peace. This will come with and improve with time. Avoid being excessive with the prayer and simply do your best. The goal initially is to establish a habit and make it an enjoyable experience.



6. Understand the five pillars of Islam. They are the Testimony of Faith (as mentioned in Step 3), the five daily Prayers (as mentioned in Step 5), Fasting (in the month of Ramadan), Charity, and Pilgrimage (once in your lifetime for those who have the means).



7. Believe in the seven articles of Faith: Believe in God, his angels, his revealed books, his messengers (from Adam to Mohammad), the Last Day, the fate (good and bad) is predestined by Allah, and the Resurrection after Death.



8. Be the best person you can be: No matter what may anger, sadden or upset you, you must be the best person you can be. Allah created us to have a good life, and to be happy. Being respectful towards others is a big part of being a good Muslim, so make sure to remember that often.
   

Tips

• Always ask a moderately knowledgeable Muslim when you have questions about your newly acquired faith. A second opinion is advisable, possibly from the Imam of your local mosque.



• Listen to the Quran recitation in Arabic while reading the English translation.



• Visit the websites of reverts to Islam to get a feel of this huge communityDon't rush into it.



• You need to have a firm understanding of the different laws before you can achieve the status of a real Muslim.

Warnings

• There are many misconceptions about Islam, so confirm what you hear with Quranic Verses and Prophetic traditions. If you need help understanding an aspect of Islam, ask a scholar or the Imam of the local mosque.


• Most Muslims will want to help, but sometimes they give inaccurate information.


• You may come across people who will be hostile toward you. Stay strong and steadfast and Allah will reward you.


• Like other religions, Islam has its extremists. Be careful where you get your information from.


• The sunnis sect is the widest and most closest denomination to the Prophet (s.a.w) and is widely regarded as the most trustworthy form of Islam.


• Sunnis account for 85% of the Muslim world.


• Try to be conscious of the Creator and do the best you can where ever you may be. If someone informs you of something that may sound strange or makes you uncomfortable ask for authentic evidences.


• Try to hang out with moderate, knowledgeable Muslims as often as possible, so you will be able to get your questions answered.
  

SOURCE BY WIKIHOW