Is it difficult to become a Muslim?

Among the beauties of Islam is the fact that in this religion there are no intermediaries in the relationship between a person and his Lord. Entering this religion does not involve any special ceremonies or procedures that need to be done in front of any other person, nor does it require the consent of any specific people.

Becoming Muslim is very easy and anyone can do it even if he is all alone in the desert or in a locked room. All it takes is to say two beautiful sentences which sum up the meaning of Islam: “Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulu-Allah.” This means: “I bear witness that there is no deity (none worthy of worship) but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Whoever utters these twin statements of faith, with conviction and believing in them, becomes a Muslim, sharing all the rights and duties that other Muslims have.

Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement in the presence of high ranking scholars or shaykhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities.

We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of these conditions or obligations are required. For Allah Almighty is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Umrah.

However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony orally either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it in his heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person.

Source: islamqa.info · islamqa.info