Praise be to Allah.

We thank you very much for sending this question to us, and we say to you that your deep interest in Islam is what will make you embrace this religion soon, in sha Allaah (if Allaah wills). Your current attitude is an important step towards entering this religion, which Allaah wants and besides which He accepts no other religion. Your conviction that this is the true religion of Allaah means that you must now take the ultimate step and pronounce the Shahaadatayn (the twin declarations of faith). When this reply reaches you, go and take a bath (ghusl) and say:

“Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah (I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah).” Then start to practice the rituals of this great religion, above all the five daily prayers at the appointed times, as Allaah enjoined them.

Know that one of the rules of Islam is that you should love Allaah and His Messenger, and that love for Allaah should take priority over love for anyone else. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allaah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allaah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allaah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqoon (the rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)” [al-Tawbah 9:24]

The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three things, whoever attains them will find the sweetness of faith: when Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than everything else; when he loves another person he loves him only for the sake of Allaah; and when he hates to return to Kufr as he would hate to be thrown into the fire.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, no. 15).

This means that love for Allaah must come before love for one’s parents and any other created being. If there is a conflict between pleasing Allaah and pleasing your parents, then pleasing Allaah must take precedence. In your situation, as you have described it, we advise you to do the following with regard to your parents:

1. Address them in the best of terms and treat them in the best manner

2. If they insist that you follow kufr, then conceal your Islam if you fear that you are not able to confront them openly, and pray where they cannot see you

3. Do not think at all that there is any burden or sin on you if they get angry with you for becoming a Muslim. Remember that when a person pleases Allaah even though it makes people angry, Allaah will be pleased with him and will make the people pleased with him.

4. Keep on praying for them to be guided and call them to Islam with wisdom and beautiful preaching. Maybe Allaah will guide them through you.

We ask Allaah to help you in this world and the next. Peace be upon those who follow true guidance.