Why should I become a Muslim, and how do I do it?

Because Islam presents the one God as the God of all peoples and asks for belief in all His prophets. The way there begins with a sincere prayer for guidance and a firm resolve to follow God wherever He leads.

Whoever believes in God believes in the Creator of all people. Such a God cannot have guided one people and left all the others to themselves. He must have sent His messengers to every people, in Arabia, in Palestine, in India, in China and everywhere else.

This is exactly what Islam teaches. A Muslim believes in Abraham (as), Moses (as) and Jesus (as), and he also honours the messengers of other peoples, who, the Holy Qur’an says, were sent everywhere. Islam expressly requires this belief. Here lies its particular claim to be the religion for all mankind. So someone who comes to Islam does not give up his love for Jesus (as); he finds it confirmed.

How does one become a Muslim? The inner path matters more than any outward form. It begins with a sincere prayer. You turn to God as you know Him and honestly ask Him to show you the right way. Part of this is a firm resolve: whatever He shows me, I will follow. The verse above promises that God answers such a prayer.

Whoever is then convinced of Islam bears witness that none is worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger. The hadith above shows what follows: prayer, fasting, giving to those in need, the pilgrimage if one can afford it, and belief in God’s angels, books and messengers. No one has to manage all of this in a single day. It is a path you walk step by step.