In the Name of Allah,


the Most Gracious,


the Most Merciful


01 Know that upon entering the


folds of Islam, Allah has effaced


all your previous sins and evil


deeds.


The Prophet  said: “Do you not know


that Islam effaces all sin that is done


before it?” (Muslim #121)


ADVICE UPON


ENTERING ISLAM


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Rather, the evil deeds you committed


before you entered Islam are changed


into good deeds by the Bounty of Allah.


Allah says:


“And those who do not invoke with


Allah another deity or kill the soul


which Allah has forbidden [to be


killed], except by right, and do not


commit unlawful sexual intercourse.


And whoever should do that will meet


a penalty. Multiplied for him is the


punishment on the Day of Resurrection,


and he will abide therein humiliated,


except for those who repent, believe


and do righteous work. For them


Allah will replace their evil deeds with


good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and


Merciful.” [25:68-70]


Listen to this good news from Allah.


Those who embrace this religion


from the People of the Book - from


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the Jews and Christians - will be given


a double reward, due to their belief


in their Messenger and their belief in


Muhammad  Allah says:


“Those to whom We gave the Scripture


before it - they believe in [the Qur`an].


And when it is recited to them, they


say: ‘We believe in it. Verily, it is the


truth from our Lord. Indeed we were,


[even] before it, Muslims [submitting


to Allah].’ These will be given their


reward twice over, because they are


patient, and repel evil with good, and


spend (in charity) out of what We have


provided them.” [28:52-54]


The Prophet  said:


“Whoever accepts Islam from the


people of the two Books (the Jews


and Christians) they will have a double


reward. They will receive the rights we


enjoy, and they must give the rights we


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give. And whoever accepts Islam from


the pagans [other than them] will have


their reward, and they will receive the


rights we enjoy, and they must give the


rights we give.” (Ahmad #22288)


Your records are white and clean, so be


careful not to taint it by doing any sins.


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02 Now that you know the truth,


set aside a part of your time to


learn your religion.


The Messenger of Allah  said:“If Allah


desires good for a person, He gives


him understanding of the religion.”


(Bukhari #71 & Muslim #1037)


Seek the knowledge of ‘Aqeedah


(Creed) and then study everything


else you need in your daily life about


your religion, such as regards purity


and prayer and all the rest. You should


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also study the rulings of trade and


the rulings pertaining to your source


of livelihood, so that you do not


unintentionally fall into things which


are impermissible. Also, try your best


to memorize as much from the Book of


Allah as you can.


You should understand your religion


from its proper and trusted sources,


the Book of Allah and the authentic


Sunnah of His Messenger 


Your example should be Muhammad


, and so you should strive to learn his


biography so that you can emulate him.


Try your best to be in the company of


the scholars and students of knowledge


who practice what they preach.


Be advised that not everyone who


claims to be a Muslim is a true Muslim.


Therefore, you should be careful from


who you seek knowledge. Whatever


you read or hear should be scrutinized


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in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah


of the Prophet  And the Sunnah


should be understood in light of the


understanding of the early generations


of Muslims. The Prophet  said:


“I advise you to guard yourself from the


punishment of Allah [by obeying Him],


hearing and obeying your leaders, even


it be an Ethiopian slave(1). For indeed


whoever lives long amongst you will


see many differences. So adhere to


my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the


Rightly Guided Caliphs. Hold tight and


cling on to it with your molar teeth.


And beware of innovated matters [in


religion], for indeed every innovated


matter is an Bid’ah, and every Bid’ah


is misguidance.” ( Abu Dawood #4607,


Tirmidhi #2676 & ibn Majaah #42)


Whatever is in accordance with his


Sunnah take it, and whatever opposes


it, leave it.


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03 Al-Wala and Al-Bara


You must love and stand with the


believers and dissociate from the


disbelievers and be cautious with


them. But to do this does not mean


that you have the right to oppress


and transgress against them or usurp


their rights. You should not hate


them, but rather your dislike should


only be toward their disbelief and


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misguidance. This should encourage


you to do your utmost to help save


them from the Hellfire. Do not prefer


disbelievers over Muslims, and do not


help them against Muslims. Allah says:


“The believers, men and women, are


allies of one another.” [9:71]


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04 Know that whoever accepts


Islam would face opposition,


disagreement and harm,


especially from those closest to


them.


You should keep this in mind and know


that if you are oppressed in any way,


this would elevate your rank, purify


your sins, and would serve as a test


through which Allah is trying you to


see the extent of your truthfulness and


steadfastness on your religion. Allah


says:


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“Do the people think that they will be


left to say, ‘We believe’, and they will


not be tried? But We have certainly


tried those before them, and Allah


will surely make evident those who


are truthful, and He will surely make


evident the liars.” [29:2-3]


Also, the Prophet  was asked:


“Which people are the most tested?”


He replied, “The Prophets, then


the righteous after them, and then


those after them. Every person is


tried according to the strength of his


religion, if his religion is strong, he is


tested more, and if his religion is weak,


his trial is lessened. A person continues


to be tested and tried until he walks on


the earth totally free of sin (for they


would be effaced due to the trials).”


(Tirmidhi #2398 & ibn Majaah #4023)


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Know that they will try to raise doubts in


your mind about Islam and constantly


mention these doubts to you. Ask the


People of Knowledge, so that you may


find a proper reply to these doubts,


from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.


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05 Calling to the religion of Allah


(Da’wah) and his authentic


Sunnah.


You must be knowledgeable as regards


what you call people to follow. In this


manner, the doubts that the doubters


of Islam bring about can be easily


answered. Give Da’wah as Allah says:


“Invite to the way of your Lord with


wisdom and good instruction, and


dialogue with them in a way that


is best. Indeed, your Lord is most


knowing of who has strayed from His


way, and He is most knowing of who is


[rightly] guided.” [16:125]


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Save others from the Hellfire, just as


Allah saved you from it, and start with


those closest to you. Be mindful of the


words of the Prophet 


“Allah did not send me to make things


hard, rather as a teacher and to make


things easy.” (Muslim #1478)


Know that there is much good, and


a great bounty from Allah in helping


a person to become Muslim, The


Messenger of Allah  said to ‘Ali:


“If Allah guides a person through you,


it is better for you than all that is on


the earth.” (Bukhari #2783 & Muslim


#2406)


You will receive the same reward as all


those who have been guided through


you, without their reward being


decreased in the least. The Prophet 


said: “Whoever calls to guidance, he


will receive an additional reward equal


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to those who follow him, without their


rewards being reduced in the least.


Whoever calls to misguidance, he will


receive the sin of those who follow


him, without their punishment being


reduced in the least.” (Muslim #2674)


Know that conveying this religion to


non-Muslims, and calling them to it,


is a duty upon every Muslim, so do


not fall short in doing this duty. The


Messenger of Allah  said:


“Convey to others (the religion), even if


it be one statement.” (Tirmidhi #2669)


You should do your best to make


people love the religion of Allah. The


Prophet  said:


“Give glad tidings, and do not cause


people to flee from the religion; make


things easy for people and don’t


make things hard.” (Bukhari #69 &


Muslim#1732)


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Know that in calling others to Islam,


you are not responsible for the results,


for your calling is restricted to merely


clarifying and showing people the way


to the truth. Allah says:


“And indeed, [O Muhammad ], you


guide to a straight path. The path of


Allah, to whom belongs whatever is


in the heavens and whatever is on the


earth. Unquestionably, to Allah do [all]


matters evolve.” [42:52-53]


As for the guidance by which one


actually practices Islam, this is from


Allah alone. Allah says:


“Verily! You [O Muhammad ] guide


not whom you wish, but Allah guides


whom He wills. And He knows best


those who are the guided.” [28:56]


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06 Choosing Righteous Companions


Try to choose righteous companions


who encourage and help you to do


good, as well as warn and prevent you


from doing evil, and will be a support


for you in your life. The Prophet  said:


“The example of a righteous and evil


companion is like one who carries


perfume and another who is a


blacksmith. As for the one who carries


perfume, either he will give you some


perfume, or you might buy it, or [at


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least] you will find a pleasing scent with


him. As for the blacksmith, either he


will burn your clothes, or you will find


a hideous odor from him.” (Bukhari


#1995 & Muslim #2628)


07 Be careful not to go to extremes


in the religion


There is neither monasticism nor


fanaticism in the religion. Allah says:


“Allah intends for you ease and He


does not want to make things difficult


for you.” [2:185]


Anas bin Maalik said:


Three people came to the houses of the


wives of the Prophet  asking about


the worship of the Prophet . When


they were informed, they thought it


was too little and said, “Who are we


in comparison to the Prophet  for


indeed Allah has forgiven him his past


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and future sins.” One of them said, “As


for me, I will pray the whole night long.”


Another said, “I will fast every day


without breaking it,” and yet another


said, “I will stay away from women and


never marry.” The Messenger of Allah


 came and [when he heard of this]


he said, “Are you the people who said


such and such? As for me, by Allah,


indeed I am the most god-fearing


and most cautious amongst you, but


I fast and I break my fast, I pray [part


of the night] and I sleep, and I marry


women. Whoever desires other than


my practice (Sunnah), then he is not


from me.” (Bukhari #4776)


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On the other hand, there should be no


compromising or improper lenience


in the religion of Allah. The Prophet 


said:


“Indeed, those before you were


destroyed due to their [persistent]


questioning and opposing their


Prophets. If I forbid you from


something, abstain from it, and if I


command you with something, do of it


as much as possible.” (Bukhari #6858 &


Muslim#1337)


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08 Not all Muslims fulfill their


obligations


You will see many Muslims who do


not fulfill their obligations and do not


refrain from the prohibitions of the


religion. People differ in this; such that


some fulfill their obligations in a more


complete way than others. In any case,


the reason one does not fulfill these


obligations is due to the fact that Satan


is trying his utmost to misguide the


Children of Adam.


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Allah, the Exalted, says:


“[So mention] when your Lord said


to the angels, ‘Indeed, I am going to


create a human being from clay. So


when I have proportioned him and


breathed into him of My [created] soul,


then fall down to him in prostration.’


So the angels prostrated - all of them


entirely. Except Iblees; he was arrogant


and became among the disbelievers.


[Allah] said, ‘O Iblees, what prevented


you from prostrating to that which


I created with My hands? Were you


arrogant [then], or were you [already]


among the haughty?’ He said, ‘I am


better than him. You created me from


fire and created him from clay.’ [Allah]


said, ‘Then get out of Paradise, for


indeed, you are expelled. And indeed,


upon you is My curse until the Day of


Recompense.’ He said, ‘My Lord, then


reprieve me until the Day they are


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resurrected.’ [Allah] said, ‘So indeed,


you are of those reprieved. Until the


Day of the time well-known.’ [Iblees]


said, ‘By your might, I will surely


mislead them all. Except, among them,


Your chosen servants.’ [Allah] said,


‘The truth [is My oath], and the truth I


say - [That] I will surely fill Hell with you


and those of them that follow you all


together.’” [38:71-85]


Do not be discouraged from fulfilling


your duty in the field of invitation


(Da’wah) to the religion of Allah. Let


this be an incentive to yourself to strive


in spreading the religion of Allah.


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09 Practice Islamic conduct in your


daily life


Such as helping someone who is in


need whether you know him or not


and smiling in the face of your brother.


The Prophet  said:


“Smiling in the face of your brother is a


charity, enjoining good and prohibiting


evil is a charity, showing someone the


way when he is lost is a charity, helping


the weak-sighted is a charity, removing


a rock, a thorn, or bones from the path


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is a charity, and pouring water from


your bucket into the bucket of your


brother is a charity.” (Tirmidhi #1956)


Your clothes and all your things should


be clean. A Muslim must always be


clean, for his religion is the religion of


cleanliness. Allah says:


“O Children of Adam! Take your


adornment at every masjid.” [7:31]


You should try to do as many good


deeds as possible, such as giving


charity, performing voluntary (extra)


prayers and other acts of worship.


When one performs these deeds


[mentioned above] they are being


an excellent role-model and example


to the Muslims who are heedless of


their religion. They will also serve as


a shining ambassador to non-Muslims


trying to understand the religion; since


they would become curious and ask


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about Islam when they see its beautiful


aspects before them.


Treat your relatives well, and do not


sever your relationship with them even


if they oppose your acceptance of Islam.


You should have better relations with


your relatives, in order to please Allah,


and also as it may bring them closer to


worshipping Him. They would also know


that after you became a Muslim, your


manners improved, and you became a


better person. Asmaa´ said:


“My mother, who was a pagan during


the life of the Messenger of Allah


 came to visit me, so I asked the


Messenger of Allah : ‘My mother has


come to visit me. Should I keep ties


with my mother?’ He  said: ‘Yes, keep


your ties of relation with your mother.’”


(Bukhari #2477 & Muslim #1003)


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10 Know that the struggle between


good and evil will last till the


Last Day.


The weakness of the Muslims and


the strength of the disbelievers, the


minority of Muslims and the majority


of the disbelievers, the backwardness


of the Muslims and the advancement


of the disbelievers, the humility


of the Muslims and the might of


the disbelievers are not evidences


indicating the falseness of Islam. These


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are factors that change depending


upon the era. There is no doubt though


that the present circumstances of the


Muslims are the result of their distance


from implementing the legislation of


their Lord and their abandoning of


righteous deeds and calling to the path


of truth.


‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, the second


Khaleefah (Caliph) said:


“We are a people who Allah honored


and gave might through Islam. If we


seek honor in something else, Allah


would humiliate us. The truth should


be followed...”


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11 We are in the last of times


Know my brother that we are in the


last of times (the Last Day is near) and


that each year that passes, we come


closer to the end of the world and


the establishing of the Final Hour. The


Prophet  said:


“The time of my advent and the Hour


are like these two fingers”, and he


joined his index and middle fingers.


(Bukhari #4652 & Muslim #867)


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The Prophet  foretold the state of


Islam [and Muslims] in this time. He 


said: “Islam started as a strange thing,


and it shall once again return to this


state. So glad tidings to the strangers.”


(Muslim #145)


Having many followers is not a proof of


the correctness of a methodology. The


Prophet  said:


“Glad tidings to the strangers! Glad


tidings to the strangers! Glad tidings


to the strangers!” Someone asked,


“Who are the strangers, O’ Messenger


of Allah?” He said, “Righteous people


amongst many evil ones. Those who


disobey them are more than those


who obey them.” (Ahmad #7072)


He also clarified the state in which the


Muslim who holds on to his religion


will be, and the various hardships he


will face (in practicing his religion),


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whether physical or psychological. The


Prophet  said:


“Enjoin the good and forbid the evil,


but when you see that greed is obeyed,


desires followed, the life of this world


playing its affect on people, and that


people are pleased with their own


opinions, stick to yourselves and leave


commanding the general public with


good, for indeed there will be days


after you in which having patience in


them is like grasping a hot coal. One


who does righteous deeds in them


will receive the reward of fifty of [the


Companions].” (Saheeh ibn Hibbaan)


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12 All affairs are judged by the way


they end


Know that all affairs are judged by the


way they end, so be keen to always


ask Allah that He keeps you steadfast


upon Islam, and that He causes you to


die with a good end. Make sure your


speech and deeds are purely for Allah’s


sake, that they are done according to


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what He legislated, and that you spend


your time in Allah’s obedience. Take


account of yourself, before you are


taken to account, and let Allah see you


doing what He commanded, not what


He forbade.


May Allah keep us steadfast on His


religion and cause us to die as Muslims.


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To download and read the complete book,


click on the cover picture here.


This is an excerpt


of a larger book titled


“MY FIRST STEPS IN ISLAM”


by Abd Ar- Rahman


bin Abd Al-Kareem Ash-Sheha.


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