How to Become Muslim: The Shahada

If you are reading this, you may have been thinking about Islam for a while — perhaps for months, perhaps for years. Maybe something in the Qur’an moved you, or the kindness of a Muslim friend, or simply a quiet sense that God is one and you want to turn to Him. Whatever brought you here, take a breath. This page is not here to pressure you. It is here to explain, simply and honestly, what becoming Muslim involves.

The shahada: the words that make you Muslim

A person becomes Muslim by sincerely believing in, and saying, the shahada — the testimony of faith. These are the words:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

How to say it: Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh

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

The first testimony1لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُLā ilāha illā-llāh

There is no god but God: no one and nothing deserves worship except the One God, the Creator of all.

The second testimony2مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِMuḥammadun rasūlu-llāh

Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of God: we believe he is God’s final messenger, and we follow his guidance.

That is all. There is no baptism, no fee, no course you must pass, and no priest who must approve you. Islam has no clergy standing between a person and God. If you are not yet comfortable with the Arabic, you may say it in your own language; what matters is that you understand it and mean it. You can read what each part means in What Does the Shahada Mean?

No one should be pressured

Islam is clear that faith cannot be forced. A belief that is not freely chosen is not real belief at all:

لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٥٦﴾

There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

So take your time. Read, ask questions, talk to Muslims you trust, and pray to God for guidance in your own words. If you decide that you believe, the step is the one described above — simple, and between you and God.

Sincerity is what counts

The shahada is not a magic formula. Its value comes from the belief in the heart behind it. The very first hadith in the best-known collection of the Prophet’s sayings makes the point:

…The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.…

So before you say it, ask yourself honestly: Do I believe there is one God, and that Muhammad ﷺ was His final messenger? If the answer is yes, you are ready. You do not need to know everything about Islam first, and you do not need to be perfect. Nobody is.

Do I need witnesses?

Strictly speaking, no witness is required for a person’s faith to be valid before God. Many people choose to say the shahada in front of others — at a mosque, with Muslim friends, or with an imam on a video call — and there are good reasons to do so: it is a joyful moment to share, it connects you to a community from the first day, and some practical matters (such as a later marriage or pilgrimage) may require a certificate from a mosque. But if you are alone right now and you believe, you can say it today, between you and God.

Some scholars also recommend, and some require, that a new Muslim take a full ritual bath (ghusl) on entering Islam. This is one of the details on which scholars differ; see Where Muslims Differ. A local mosque can explain it simply.

What happens to my past?

This is one of the most beautiful parts of becoming Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ taught that sincere entry into Islam wipes the slate clean:

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al Khudri: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then Allah shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts, the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and one evil deed will be recorded as it is unless Allah forgives it

You begin your new life without the weight of your old mistakes. We explore this in What Happens to My Past Sins When I Become Muslim?

Gentle next steps

After saying the shahada, there is no need to change everything overnight. Many new Muslims find it helpful to go step by step:

1. Learn to pray. The five daily prayers are the most important practice after the shahada. Start by learning the basic movements and a few short words; it is fine to learn gradually. See How to Pray: A Step-by-Step Guide.
2. Find community. Visit a local mosque and tell someone you are new. Many mosques have programmes or mentors for new Muslims.
3. Read and learn. Read a translation of the Qur’an slowly, and learn the basics of belief, such as in What Every Muslim Believes.
4. Be patient with yourself. Change takes time. Some habits will be easy to leave and others harder. God is patient and merciful, and so should you be with yourself.
5. Keep your family close. Becoming Muslim does not mean leaving your family. Islam asks you to treat your parents and relatives with kindness and respect, whatever their faith.

God is near

Whatever you decide, you can speak to God right now, in your own words. You do not need permission or a special place:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦﴾

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.

If you have questions, or would simply like to talk to a Muslim about any of this, you are always welcome to reach out. There is no rush. The door is open, and it stays open.