1. God is One

“Allah” is simply the Arabic word for God — the same word Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews use. Islam begins with one clear idea: there is only one God, the Creator of everything that exists.

He has no partner, no child and no equal. Nothing in creation is like Him. He is not part of His creation, and nothing in creation shares in His divinity. The Qur’an sums this up in a short chapter: “Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him.” (112:1–4)

This God is not distant. He is the Most Merciful, the Most Kind, who hears every prayer in every language. You do not need a priest or an intermediary to speak to Him — you can turn to Him directly, at any moment.

Believing in one God frees the heart: you worship only the One who created you, and you are no longer a servant to money, fame, fear or other people’s opinions.

2. The prophets

God did not leave humanity without guidance. Throughout history He chose men of excellent character as prophets and messengers, to teach people to worship Him alone and to live with goodness and justice.

Many of them will be familiar to you: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, John the Baptist and Jesus — peace be upon them all. Muslims believe in every one of them, love them and honour them. A Muslim may not reject any of them.

Jesus (ʿĪsā) holds a special place in Islam. He is the Messiah, born miraculously to the Virgin Mary without a father, and he performed miracles by God’s permission. Muslims believe he was a great prophet and servant of God — not God himself, and not the son of God.

Their laws differed with their times, but their core message was always the same: there is no god but the One God, so worship Him alone. The last of these messengers is Muhammad ﷺ.

3. The Qur’an

The Qur’an is the word of God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Gabriel over about 23 years. It confirms the essential truth of the earlier scriptures given to Moses and Jesus and completes their message.

It was memorised and written down from the very first days. Today millions of people, including children, know the entire Qur’an by heart — and the Arabic text is the same everywhere in the world.

The Qur’an speaks about God, the purpose of life, the stories of earlier prophets, how to treat parents, neighbours and the poor, and what happens after death. It invites the reader to reflect, to think and to look at the signs of God in nature.

Translations of its meaning exist in almost every language, so you can begin reading today. Muslims recite the original Arabic in prayer, and you will learn the short parts you need step by step.

4. Muhammad ﷺ

Muhammad ﷺ was born in Mecca around the year 570. Even before prophethood he was known as al-Amīn, “the trustworthy”, because he never lied or cheated. At the age of forty the first revelation came to him in the cave of Ḥirāʾ.

For thirteen years in Mecca he called people to worship one God and faced mockery, boycott and persecution with patience. He then migrated to Medina, where a community grew around his teaching. He passed away at the age of sixty-three.

He was a prophet, but also a husband, a father, a neighbour and a friend. He mended his own clothes, visited the sick, played with children and forgave those who had harmed him. When he returned to Mecca in victory, he pardoned his former enemies.

The Qur’an calls him “a mercy to the worlds” (21:107) and the final prophet (33:40). Muslims follow his example — his words and actions, known as the Sunnah — to understand how to live the Qur’an in daily life.

5. Life after death

Islam teaches that this life is not the end. Death is a passage to the next life, and one day everyone will be raised and stand before God, the Most Just and the Most Merciful.

Every good deed counts — a kind word, a smile, helping someone in need — and no one will be wronged in the slightest. God judges with perfect knowledge and perfect fairness, and His mercy is greater than His anger.

Those who believed and did good will enter Paradise, a place of peace and joy beyond anything we can imagine. Those who rejected the truth and did wrong will face the consequences of what they chose.

This belief gives life its meaning. It comforts the oppressed, restrains the powerful, and reminds every one of us that our choices matter. And it is never too late: when a person sincerely turns to God, He forgives what came before.

The Shahadah is the declaration of faith. If you believe that God is One and that Muhammad ﷺ is His final messenger, you are ready.

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ

Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

1. Congratulations — you are a Muslim, and every past sin is forgiven.
2. Take a ritual bath (ghusl) — your guide will show you how.
3. Begin your first 30 days, one small step at a time.
4. Let us know, so a mentor can walk with you. Only if you wish.

Is there a fee, a test or a waiting period?

No. Becoming Muslim costs nothing and needs no exam. When you sincerely believe and say the Shahadah, you are a Muslim. Learning comes after, at your own pace.

Do I have to change my name?

No. You may keep your name. Only a name whose meaning goes against Islam would be changed — and many people who embrace Islam keep theirs.

What does Islam say about Jesus?

Muslims love and honour Jesus (ʿĪsā) as one of the greatest prophets — the Messiah, born miraculously to the Virgin Mary. A whole chapter of the Qur’an is named after Mary. Muslims believe he was a prophet and servant of God, not God himself.

What will my family think? Must I leave them?

Never. The Qur’an commands kindness to parents, even when they do not share your faith (31:15). We can help you think through how and when to tell them.

How does Islam see women?

Men and women are equal in worth before God and receive the same reward for their faith and good deeds (Qur’an 33:35, 4:124). Islam gave women rights to own property, to inherit, to learn and to consent to marriage.

Do I have to know Arabic first?

No. You learn the few Arabic words needed for prayer step by step, with audio and a teacher to help. Your understanding can begin in your own language today.

What happens to my past sins?

When a person embraces Islam, God forgives what came before. It is a completely fresh start — and your good deeds from now on are recorded for you.

Does Islam allow violence or terrorism?

No. The Qur’an says that killing one innocent person is like killing all of humanity (5:32), and that there is no compulsion in religion (2:256). “Jihad” means striving — above all against one’s own bad habits. Terrorism is condemned by Muslim scholars everywhere.

Do women have to wear the hijab?

Islam asks both men and women to dress and behave modestly (Qur’an 24:30–31). Covering the hair is part of this for women, and most new Muslim women grow into it at their own pace. No one may force faith or practice on anyone.

Is Islam only for Arabs?

Not at all. Fewer than one in five Muslims is Arab; the largest Muslim country is Indonesia. Islam is for all people: “We made you nations and tribes so that you may know one another” (Qur’an 49:13).

Can I become Muslim without telling anyone yet?

Yes. Faith is between you and God. You can say the Shahadah privately and choose a wise time to tell others. We keep everything you share with us confidential.

Why don’t Muslims eat pork or drink alcohol?

Because God has forbidden them, and Muslims trust that His guidance is for our good. The Qur’an notes that the harm of intoxicants is greater than their benefit (2:219). Most new Muslims find these changes easier than they expected.