By: Laura El Alam

Your Journey Begins with Proclamation of Faith in Allah and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Once you proclaim that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad is the Prophet of God, you have become a Muslim. Congratulations! That is the crucial first step of your journey and indeed the foundation of everything you will do henceforth as a believer.

Practicing Islam fully will require learning, submitting to God, and making a daily commitment to your new faith, but the wonderful thing is that Allah makes it easier for us when our hearts are determined to serve Him.

Embracing Growth, Rewards, and Patience in Our Journey

When we buy a brand new appliance or the latest gadget and we are eager to use it, we often don’t want to read the whole instruction manual. We just want to use it as quickly as possible! Similarly, when we are new to Islam, we often want to dive in and practice our faith from day one. There are numerous things to learn, though, and the process of memorizing every necessary detail will probably take months or years. In fact, forming an Islamic personality — a mindset that allows us to align all our intentions and actions with pleasing our Creator — might take a lifetime.

But no worries! The great news is that Allah rewards us for every single step we take to draw closer to Him. If we struggle to master the words in Arabic, or to remember all the steps of the prayers, or to conquer some of our bad habits, then our rewards from Allah will be exponentially greater than our effort. We should focus on the benefits of the growth process and try to be patient with ourselves as we learn and change.

A Quick Start Guide and Tips for Finding an Islamic Mentor

For those new converts who are still eager to skip the instruction manual and dive right in, here is a helpful “quick start guide.” Included are online resources as well as some recommendations for books, which should be helpful in your spiritual growth. While books, articles, and videos are beneficial, one of the best ways to learn about Islam is from a helpful and willing real-life mentor. This articleoffers tips on finding a mentor.

In the meantime, the following list will give you a place to start your journey. Wading through so much information online to find the best resources can be tedious, so we’ve attempted to compile some of the best ones for you, whether you prefer to read or watch your content.

1. Five Daily Prayers/Salat:

Read:

This link offers an extremely helpful and straightforward guide to performing the five daily prayers. Photos and descriptions explain exactly how and when worshippers should stand, kneel, and bow. English translations of the Arabic words are provided.

Install:

Muslim Pro, Quran Hive, and many other apps help with prayer times, Qibla direction, and Quran memorization.

2. Making Ablution (Wudu):

Read:

This link provides a written description of ritual cleansing, plus photos.

Watch:

A helpful video on how to perform wudu.

3. Islamic Dress Code

Read:

A description of Islamic modesty requirements.

Watch:

A lecture on Islamic dress.

Another inspiring video explains why Muslim women wear the headscarf.

4. Fasting During Ramadan

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and required of adult Muslims who are able.

Read:

A beginner’s guide to fasting.

Watch:

A simple YouTube introduction to Ramadan.

5. Glossary of Frequently Used Terms

Read:

A helpful Islamic terms glossary. Also read FAQs.

Watch:

Videos explaining commonly used Islamic phrases.

Recommended Books:

• The Qur’an: A New Translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
• The Clear Quran by Dr. Mustafa Khattab
• The New Muslim Guide by Fahd Salem Bahammam
• The New Muslim’s Field Guide by Theresa Corbin & Kaighla Um Dayo
• Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed
• A Temporary Gift by Asmaa Hussein
• Purification of the Heart by Hamza Yusuf
• Being Muslim: A Practical Guide by Asad Tarsin
• The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad
• In the Early Hours by Khurram Murad

Raised in a Midwestern Catholic family, Laura El Alam became a Muslim in 2000. She is a prolific writer whose work has been published in various magazines. She is the founder of Sea Glass Writing & Editing and runs “The Common Sense Convert” Facebook page.