What are the conditions and invalidators, and who can become a muslim
We welcome you to Islam. It always brings true Muslims great joy when we hear of anyone wishing to revert to Islam. True Muslims want to rush to tell their friends and family about this wonderful news. Muslims always love to hear how others reverted to Islam. So for sure you will be greatly welcomed to Islam.
Who can become a Muslim and how will I be regarded by other Muslims?Some people are often worried if they will be allowed to become Muslim due to a variety of reasons such as having tattoos, having had a wild past, being a single mother, being from a certain country or race, being a child and various other reasons. Rest assured that none of this matters. If you believe in Islam you can become a Muslim. Islam is for the whole of humanity and Islam unites together people of different colours, languages, races. and nationalities into one brotherhood.
Allah says: “Indeed the Believers (believers in Islam) are but brothers.” Quran 49:10
Therefore anybody can who believes Islam is the true religion of God can become a Muslim. Islam erases all sins committed prior to becoming a Muslim.
Allah says : “Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning)” Quran 8:38
Prophet (may the peace and blessings and mercy of Allah be upon him) said, Islam annuls what came before it. (narrated by Muslim). As soon as you become a Muslim all your previous sins are forgiven and you start a blank state and a complete clean record.
You may hear from some Muslims incorrect advice due to their lack of knowledge of Islam or due to lack of correct knowledge of Islam.
Someone may say that you have to do a course or obtain a certificate to become a Muslim. This is incorrect. You do not need to attend a course or obtain a certificate to become Muslim.
YOU SHOULD NOT DELAY IN BECOMING A MUSLIMIf someone advises you to delay your conversion to Islam. This is also incorrect. If you believe Islam is the truth then you should not delay your conversion to Islam.
You should revert immediately because we are given a certain lifespan and we it could be over at anytime.
Allah says: Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad ) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Quran), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Quran) and AlHikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet i.e. Prophet’s legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.], while before that they had been in manifest error. Quran 3:164
Allah says to His Messenger: Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me , Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Quran 3:31
Allah again tells his Messenger Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad ).” But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers Quran 3:32
Allah says: But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. Quran 4:65
It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s Commandments both in utterances and actions, whether explicit or implicit and in private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
1. Visible (manifest or outward)Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the “shahadah”, performing prayers (salah), giving Zakat (obligatory charity), observing the fast in the month of Ramadan (sawm), performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Quran, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with the movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
2. Invisible (concealed or inward)Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone)
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one’s heart which, subsequently, affects one’s way of life (beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of polytheism or “shirk”, which amounts to apostasy, from the Islamic point of view.
Certainty (Al-Yaqeen)The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning of Shahadah without a blemish of doubt.
Allah the Exalted says:” Verily, the believers are only those who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then doubt not. (Quran 49:15).
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah. No slave meets Allah with this testimony, having no doubt in it but shall enter Jannah.”( Muslim)
Sincerity (Al-Ikhlaas)Exclusively worshiping Allah, which is contrary to shirk. This is what laa ilaaha illallaah points towards.
Allah, the Exalted, said:” And they were not commanded but to worship Allah, being sincere in devoting religion to Him.” (Quran 98:5).
Abu Hurairah said:” I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: Messenger of Allah! Who will be most fortunate to enjoy your shafa’ah (intercession) on the Day of Resurrection? The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: I was certain that no one else would ask me about this other than you, because I have noticed your keenness for hadeeth. The most fortunate of men who will enjoy my shafa’ah on the Day of Resurrection is the one who says: (La Ilaha Illa Allah) “None has the right to be worshiped except Allah”, sincerely from his heart..”(Musnad al-Imam Ahmad.)
Truthfulness (As-Sidq)Truthfulness (as-sidq), which prevents hypocrisy (nifaq). Indeed, the hypocrites uttered it with their tongues, but did not inwardly believe in what it signified.
The Messenger of Allah said: “Anyone testifies that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, truthfully from his heart, Allah would forbid his admittance to the Fire.”(Muslim)
Love and affection (Al-Mahabbah )Love (al-mahabbah) for this kalimah and having love and pleasure for whatever it necessitates. This is contrary to the [state of the] hypocrites.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “There are three (qualities), whoever possesses them, will taste the sweetness of Iman (belief): to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else, to love the Muslim only for the sake of Allah, and to dread returning to kufr (apostasy) as he dreads being thrown in fire.” ( Bukhari and Muslim.)
Allah says to His Messenger (peace be upon him)
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (3:31)
Allah says: “Allah shall bring forth a people whom He loves and they love Him.” (Quran 5:54)
The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said: “None of you shall (really) believe until I become dearer to him than his own father, and son and all mankind.” ( Bukhari and Muslim.)
Submission (Al-Inqiyaad) internally and externallySubmissive compliance (al-inqiyaad), by fulfilling its rights – which are the obligatory actions – with sincerity to Allah and seeking His good pleasure. This is its requirement.
Allah, the Exalted, says: “And he who submits himself to Allah, and does good, he has surely grasped a strong handle.” ( Quran 31:22).
Allah also says:” And turn you to your Rabb, and submit yourselves to Him.” (:Quran 39:54).
Acceptance (al-qabool), which prevents rejection.
This is achieved by acting upon what Allah has commanded and abandoning whatever He has prohibited.
Abu Musa al-Ash’aree reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him said: “The parable of guidance and knowledge which Allah has sent me with is like a rain which fell on a land. A patch of that land received the water and produced much herbage and grass. And a patch which was barren. The latter retained water wherewith Allah extended benefits to men: they drank from it, irrigated and planted their vegetation. And a patch which was a sandy plain, it neither retained water nor produced herbage. This is parallel to the person who conceived the religion of Allah and benefited from the Message with which Allah has sent me, whereby he learns and taught others. The other person turned away from it (from my Message), and rejected the guidance of Allah with which I am sent..” Bukhari and Muslim.)
Allah says “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”(33:21)
And Allah also says in Surah Al-Hashr
….And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. (59:7)
Again Allah says:
O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger ( peace be upon him), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.(4:59)
And Allah says:
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.
In the next verse Allah again tells his Messenger
Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): “Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him).” But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers (3:32)
Islam unites together people of different colours, languages, races. and nationalities into one brotherhood.
Allah says: “Indeed the Believers are but brothers.” [Quran 4 9:10]
Before Islam people in Arabia were divided into different tribes. Some of them were at constant war with each other, Islam came and Allah put peace and love in their hearts for each other.
Allah the Most High said: “And remember the favor of Allah upon you, for you were once enemies to one another but He joined your hearts together in love, so that by His Grace you became brothers.” [Soorah Aal-Imraan 3:103]
And Allah the Most High said: “He it is that has strengthened you with His help and with the Believers. And moreover, He has united their hearts with love and affection. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts with love and affection. However, Allah has united them. Indeed Allah is the All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:62- 63].Allah has stated in the Holy Quran:”… whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that will never break…” (2:256)
You should know, dear Muslim brother/sister , that Allah made it obligatory upon all His slaves to enter Islam and hold on to it, and warned them against following other than Islam. He also sent His Prophet Muhammad to call mankind to it. Allah has informed us in the Quran that guided are those who follow the teachings of Islam, and misguided are those who reject them. He warned us in many Verses against the causes of apostasy and all forms of Shirk and disbelief Religious scholars have mentioned that there are a number of invalidators that are bound to take one out of the fold of Islam. For the sake of attaining salvation in the Hereafter, I have briefly cited in the following pages, with some explanation, the ten most critical of these invalidators so that you will avoid them and make others aware of them.
1 . TO ASSOCIATE OTHERS WITH ALLAH IN WORSHIP.The Quran says:
“Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners with Him in worship, but He forgives whom He pleases other sins than this.” (Surah 4: 1)
“Whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, Allah will forbid him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode. For the wrongdoers there are no helpers.” (Surah 5:72)
Forms of worship include calling upon the dead, seeking their assistance, offering sacrifices to them, and taking vows in their names.
2. To set up intermediaries between oneself and Allah, seeking their intercession and putting absolute trust in them. Those who do so are unanimously considered disbelievers.
3. Not to accuse polytheists and those who commit Shirk of disbelief, to be in doubt as to their being disbelievers, or to approve of their beliefs.
4. To believe that the Prophet’s guidance is not complete or perfect or that other people’s ruling and judgment is better than his. Those who prefer the rule of false gods are blatant disbelievers.
5 . Those who hate anything that the Prophet came with are also disbelievers even if they act upon them. The Quran says:
“That is because they hate that which Allah sent down, so He has made their deeds fruitless.” (Surah 47:9)
6. Those who ridicule anything that Islam came with, such as punishment and reward in the Hereafter, are disbelievers. The Quran says:
“Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have rejected Faith after you had accepted it.” (9:65,66)
7. Magic in all its forms, including turning someone away from somebody that he or she loves, and making someone love someone or something he or she does not normally like. Whoever practices magic or approves of it is a disbeliever, as evidenced by the Quranic Verse that says:
“But neither of these (two angels) taught anyone (such things) without saying, We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).” (Surah 2:102)
8. To take the disbelievers for friends, give them support and assistance against the Muslims is an act of disbelief. The Quran says:
“And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust.” (Surah 5:51)
9. Those who believe that it is in their power or authority to for sake the law of Islam are disbelievers. The Quran says:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Surah 3:85)
10. To turn away from Islam and to stubbornly refuse to learn its teachings or act upon them. The Quran says:
“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then he turns away there from? Verily from those who transgress We shall exact (due) retribution.” (Surah 32:22)
The fourth point mentioned above also includes those people who believe that man-made laws are better than the Islamic Law.
It also includes people who believe that the Islamic Law is not suitable to be implemented in the present century or who falsely claim that Islam or Islamic laws make Muslims backwardness or less advanced in some spheres of life.
It also includes those who falsely claim that Islamic laws are not applicable in other spheres of life apart from regulating one’s personal life with one’s Lord.
It also includes those who believe that it is permissible to dispense with the Islamic Law in matters relating to the social life and the boundary limits for the lawful and the unlawful even if they do not believe that other laws are not better than the Islamic Law. For this means that they have made lawful what Allah had already made unlawful. Whoever makes lawful what Allah has declared unlawful is a disbeliever with the unanimous agreement of all Muslim scholars.
In all of these invalidators, there is no difference between one who does them jokingly, seriously, or in fear, except for one who is compelled against his will. All of these matters are very dangerous and many of them are occurring amongst the some Muslims of today. Therefore, it is necessary for the Muslim to beware of them and fear for himself concerning them.
In SummaryIt is easy to become a Muslim. All a person has to do is declare Shahadah can be declared as follows:Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illaallaah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-ar-rasool ullaah
I bear witness that there is no God worthy to be worshiped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.We have to consider that when we declare from our hearts, “There is no god worthy to be worshiped but Allah.” It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of “there is no god worthy to be worshiped but Allah,” to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the finest anchor of belief which make material the meaning of “AL-WALA” and “AL-BARA” (love and loyalty versus disavowal and enmity). It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from the practices of unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.When one truly believes that Islam is the true religion of God and that “there is no god worthy to be worshiped but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” Then he or she should declare the Shahadah right away. He or she should not hesitate.We are given a certain lifespan. We do not know when that life span will end. It may end this very minute even. Therefore a person should say the Shahadah and then work on becoming the best Muslim he or she can be.Some of you will find some aspects of Islam difficult at first. For instance some new Muslim sisters find it difficult to wear Hijab at first. However with time they have eventually grown in their faith and are now wearing the full Islamic dress and encouraging even sisters born into Muslim families but went astray to wear full Islamic dress. Some were vegetarian before they became Muslim. Eating meat seemed impossible to them. Now after a few years they have started to even eat meat. Please do not worry about any barriers you may have. Become Muslims and you will see those barriers crashing down as you grow in your religion.However one should recognize that Islam requires a complete submission to the will of God. What Allah has told us do we should try to do and what Allah has told us not to do. We should not do.
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September 08, 2019, 04:44:40 PM
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