The New Muslim Course

Your Conversion to Islam - Module 1

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The New Muslim Course - The First Day
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The New Muslim Course (The First Day)
By Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

Conversion: There are two things you need to keep in mind for your conversion to be of any value. Firstly, it should be based on knowledge, and not on emotions. For example, you might have a dream pointing you to this direction, or someone may have made it sound appealing by his words or actions. It is not a bad thing to feel this way. However, you should not go ahead with your decision based simply on emotions, since emotions can easily change. If you are a Christian, who Jesus is should be clear to you. It should be clear that he was not the son of God from a literal perspective. Rather, metaphorically, it is where anyone who is close to God is called 'son' or 'daughter' of God. It is not from Islam to believe that he was actually God who became man, his own son, who sacrificed himself for the sake of purification of human beings. If, by any chance, such belief is still in your heart, you need to go back for more understanding and clarification. Jesus was not a god. He was a man. Although he was born in a special way without a father, still, this did not make him more than a man. If this was so, what could we say about Eve or Adam who were also born without father or mother? The Bible also refers to Adam, peace be upon him, as a son of God. God had created Adam without father or mother. Jesus was born without a father, and everyone else is born with a mother and father. These are just three modes of creation, and they do not make anyone a God. If this topic requires more clarification, you should not enter Islam until it becomes all clear to you. If you are from a Hindu background where the belief is that God is an incarnate or becomes a human being, not once but many times, then you should know that God is God and He does not do ungodly actions which make Him no longer God. If God becomes a man, and a man is not God, then this would mean that God became something which was no longer God. He stopped being God and became creation. God is the Creator; and the Creator doesn't become His creation. It is the creation that is in need of the Creator. And if the Creator becomes a creation, He would be in need of a Creator, and is no longer God.

We need to know that God is without beginning or end while creation has a beginning and an end. The Creator of all things will never have a beginning, and He who is without beginning cannot become one with a beginning. These are contradicting terms. God cannot be represented by an image called an idol. God is not like the creation, and once we represent Him, we make Him part and parcel of creation. Whatever we make as an image of God is no longer God, rather, it is the human mind's product of understanding of the world and what we have seen; a mixture of actual representation of the existing creatures, but not God. We have to know that God is God and He is not a man and does not become a man. Whether you are Hindu or Christian, you should know who Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is. It is important to note that you are not giving up the worship of Jesus, Shiva, or Vishnu for the worship of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It should be clear to you that according to Islam; Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is not an object of worship. He is only a Messenger of God like all other messengers who were sent by God to the nations to convey His message. They, as he did, only brought the message of God to men; and this is his position in Islam. Finally, the knowledge base for accepting Islam should also be clear, and at least the basic understanding of what Islam is. You should know that Islam has five daily prayers, and a fast of one month every year during the month of Ramadhan. Also if you have a surplus of wealth, you are required to give a certain percentage of that wealth to the needy. And if you have the means, there is a Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah. These are the basic principles, or forms of worship, of which one has the obligation to do in his life time. All of these principles are prescribed in order to attain the best moral character. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "I was only sent to perfect for you the highest moral character traits." Everything Islam prescribes is to make us morally upright. The next thing you have to be clear about is your intention. In order for the entrance to Islam to be real, valid, and accepted by God, and true means of entering Paradise, the intention has to be based on sincerity. You should be sincere in your decision. If your intention to accept Islam is based on taking a course, and expectation to accept it is a requirement for the course, don't accept Islam now. Wait until you are convinced of the truth of Islam.