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Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“… When Allah placed Islam in my heart, I went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “Give me your right hand so I can pledge allegiance to you.” He held out his hand and I closed my fist. He said, “What is wrong, ‘Amr?” I said, “I wanted to stipulate a condition.” He said, “What is the condition?” I said, “That I be forgiven.” He said, “Do you not know that Islam wipes away what preceded it…?”

– Sahih Muslim, Book One (The Book of Faith), Chapter 54, Hadith 121.

Taking your shahada symbolically ushers you into your new faith, representing a new beginning in a person’s life, which can be both exciting and daunting.

For many new Muslims, one of the major struggles is learning about what you can and cannot do in your new life, as well as what obligations you need to fulfil, and how properly to fulfil them. Most notably, these include the obligations laid out within the five pillars of Islam (of which the shahada is the first). These are:

• Shahada

• Prayer (Salah)

• Paying Zakat (obligatory charitable donations/almsgiving)

• Fasting in the month of Ramadan (Sawm)

• Performing Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

However, we recognise that it is also in the details, such as whether and how to tell family and friends of your conversion, that new Muslims often need the most help and support. To help you navigate through this and other matters we have given some guidance below.

It is also worth bearing in mind that whilst the founding principles of Islam are not hard to understand or practise, the religion itself is as vast as the ocean. It is not possible for a person to master everything at once. Instead, consider that you are embarking on a lifelong journey of learning, that should be taken one step at a time.

Muslims can eat anything that is not specifically prohibited, or ‘haram’. This is in the interests of cleanliness and health, and also out of obedience to God. Under Islamic law, the following foods are prohibited:

• Blood

• Pork (as well as less commonly eaten meats, such as dog)

• The meat of any creature (excluding fish) that has not been slaughtered in line with Islamic principles (see below)

• Alcoholic drinks and narcotics

For meat to be halal or ‘permissible’ the animal must have been killed quickly and mercifully while mentioning the name of God. For more details on this we recommend referring to page 24 of The Vision of Islam book.

Perhaps one of the most common challenges faced by new Muslims is how to tell family, friends and colleagues of your conversion. The decision is a personal one, with some opting to tell people straight away, and others waiting until they feel ready. Whatever you decide, it is important that you feel able to deal with possible negative responses. Joining a local support group for converts, such as the Cambridge Crescent or SOFA New Muslims Circle in London (T: 0208 8740 0880) can be helpful in this respect.

Many converts choose to take a Muslim name, symbolising the new beginning they have embarked on. This can be in addition to their birth/former name or instead of it, depending on the individual’s preference. Some choose to name themselves after important Muslims in history, such as the prophets and their companions (e.g. Dawud, Bilal), whilst others choose names that reflect a divine attribute, such as Abd al-Rahman (Servant of the Most Merciful). Still other names may reflect a characteristic, such as Kareemah, meaning generous.

Typically, Muslim names have positive or sublime connotations, and may serve as the basis for developing one’s character. Taking a new name is a big decision, however, and should not be rushed. Many converts decide never to take a new name, and this is also a perfectly valid position.

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Did We not expand for thee thy breast

and lift from thee thy burden

that weighed heavily upon thy back?

And did We not elevate thy renown?

For truly with hardship comes ease!

Truly with hardship comes ease!

So when thou art free, exert thyself;

and let thy desire be for thy Lord.

Surah 'Ash Sharh'. Translation from 'The Study Qur'an: A New Translation and Commentary'.

The shahadah or ‘testimony of faith’ is a simple declaration of faith made in Arabic that translates as, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His messenger.’ The following video clip gives the correct Arabic pronunciation.

Your shahadah can be taken anywhere, with any Muslim man or woman. You need two adult Muslim witnesses to be present. This can be in someone's home or workplace, in a garden, on the beach or on a mountain. As the prophet Muhammad, God's Blessings and Peace be upon him, said (Sahih Muslim), ‘The whole earth has been made a mosque for me.’

Many of our more recent Cambridge Crescent members have chosen to take their shahadah – that is to say formally enter Islam – at Cambridge Central Mosque, following its opening in April 2019. Please note that taking your shahadah at the mosque is not a prerequisite to membership of the Cambridge Crescent group, indeed it is not necessary to have taken your shahadah at all. If, however, you would like to know more about taking your shahadah at Cambridge Central Mosque please click here.

‘Actions are by intentions’ (Hadith). The moment of entering Islam is a major spiritual transition for a human soul, and it needs to be honoured and approached with dignity, reverence and a good intention, not only in the individual taking this step, but in the celebrant and the witnesses also. It is a time people usually remember for the rest of their lives, and has to be remembered as a time of peace, joy, and the awareness of God’s presence.

To enter Islam is to affirm that God’s grace has been abundant in the three great replenishments of Abrahamic religion: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and presumptively in other traditions again, for the Holy Qur’an says: ‘There has never been a people among whom a Warner has not passed’ (35:24). To affirm the final and ‘sealing’ dispensation of Islam is to affirm everything good and true in the world’s religious history.

To join Islam is to affirm all the Divine names, both those of Beauty (jamal), and also those of Majesty (jalal). God is infinitely Merciful and Forgiving; but He also expects His creatures to conduct themselves with moral seriousness in life, and warns against the consequence of a destructive or a forgetful lifestyle. Entering Islam is to declare that one acknowledges one’s duty to live in a committed way which reflects the Divine qualities.

So the celebrant should, while ensuring that everyone at the ceremony is at ease and looked after, also maintain a prayerful inward attitude, remembering God, and the critical importance of this moment. He/she should not be too grave and intimidating, but should not be light-hearted either. Humour at any point is inappropriate.

The sincerity of the convert may occasionally be in doubt, particularly where a marriage is in view. The Sharia judges by externals, and does not probe people’s hearts. However it should be impressed upon the prospective convert that to change one’s religion is a serious matter, and that a person of integrity will never publicly profess a belief over which private scepticism remains in the heart. However the discussion of serious religious qualms and objections should be settled before the ceremony is arranged.

In the premodern Islamic world a conversion was often an elaborate and celebratory affair, with the prospective convert mounted on a fine horse and taken to the mosque, and given gifts. Today a conversion can happen anywhere, but it is important to respect the time and the individual by holding the ceremony in a quiet, reverent and beautiful place. Avoid a large public show (after Friday prayers, for instance), if the convert is not comfortable with this.

From the Sharia perspective witnesses are not strictly necessary. A solitary conversion is entirely valid in God’s sight. However for the conversion to be readily recognised by the community, it is preferable to have a ceremony guided by a celebrant (not necessarily an imam - any Muslim, male or female, can do this), and attended by two witnesses. It is preferable that they be adult male Muslims in good standing, but again, this is not a condition for the Shahada’s validity.

A certificate is not required, but is strongly recommended. It can reassure families that a subsequent marriage is valid, and can also be useful in some Muslim countries in some circumstances where official papers require a statement of religious identity. It will also be necessary to obtain a Hajj or Umra visa. Guards at the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem sometimes do not allow people to enter unless they have a Muslim name in their passport, or can produce a convincing certificate of conversion. This is also the case for all mosques in Morocco.

The minimal form of a good ceremony involves the prospective convert uttering the Two Shahadas. It is sufficient for this to be in any language, but is preferred to be in Arabic also.

It is good for the celebrant to begin with a brief Qur’anic recitation, to explain to all present what is about to happen, to take the hand of the prospective convert (if of the same gender), to look him / her in the eye, and to ask the prospective convert to repeat the Arabic words, one by one, or phrase by phrase, and then do the same in English.

The ceremony can be followed by a du’a prayer, and the Fatiha. It is good to offer a gift at the end: a gentle book, and perhaps a gift of fruit.It is advisable to designate a Muslim mentor for the new convert, if someone is not already acting in that role.It is a privilege and an honour to welcome a soul into Islam, and the celebrant and all present should regularly pray for the convert as he or she progresses in the religion.