deen2u — your one-stop center for Islamic resources: the Holy Quran, Hadith, practices, stories of the Prophets, Q&A, and how to practice Islam.
Practice · Welcome
New Muslim Starter Guide
Welcome to Islam. This page is a roadmap — what to learn first, in what order, and where the fuller guides on this site are, so you're never wondering what to do next.
However you arrived here — after taking the shahada, or still exploring — take this at your own pace. The Prophet ﷺ taught gradually, and so did every Muslim before you. "Religion is ease" (Sahih al-Bukhari 39) — there is no rush, and no expectation of perfection from day one.
A gift for you
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
The New Muslim Guide
Free ebook · A gift from deen2u
The New Muslim Guide — yours to keep
Everything on this page, gathered into a beautiful 23-page pocket book (A5) you can print, keep on your phone, or pass on — every Arabic text with its pronunciation, meaning, and source.
Entry into Islam is the sincere testimony: "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadun rasul Allah" — there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger. No ceremony or witness is technically required, though saying it in front of others is common and meaningful. See the Shahada section on Practice for the full meaning.
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
This is a personal keepsake to mark your declaration of faith, generated entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded or stored. It isn't an official or legal document. If you need a witnessed conversion certificate for administrative purposes (e.g. some countries require one for marriage registration), your local mosque or Islamic center can issue one properly.
First days
Learn wudu, then your first prayer
Wudu (ablution) comes before prayer — the step-by-step Wudu guide walks through it. Then learn one rak'ah at a time with the Salah guide, which has the Arabic, transliteration, and meaning for every phrase. It's completely normal to start by praying alone with a translation nearby.
First weeks
The basics of belief
Learn the Five Pillars and the six articles of faith — what Muslims believe about Allah, the angels, the books, the prophets, the Last Day, and divine decree. The Q&A page's Belief and New Muslim categories answer most of the questions that come up early.
First weeks
Friday — the Jumu'ah prayer
Once a week, Dhuhr is replaced for those it applies to by Jumu'ah at the mosque: a two-part sermon (khutbah), then two rak'ahs in congregation. The Quran commands: "O you who believe, when the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade" (Quran 62:9), and the Prophet ﷺ warned that people "must cease to neglect the Friday prayer, or Allah will seal their hearts" (Sahih Muslim — site reader no. 1894). The schools agree it is obligatory on adult, resident men who are able to attend; women, children, travellers and the sick are exempt (Sunan Abi Dawud 1067 — sahih) and pray Dhuhr as normal — though a woman who attends is fully rewarded and her Jumu'ah is valid. Arrive early, listen quietly to the khutbah, and let the community carry you.
Ongoing
Start reading the Quran, a little each day
Use the Quran reader — Arabic with translation and audio recitation, so you can follow along even before you can read Arabic yourself. Consistency matters more than pace.
Ongoing
Build a daily rhythm of dhikr and dua
The Duas & Dhikr page has a starter set of authentic supplications for daily situations, with when each is said.
When you're ready
Find a local community
A local mosque is the fastest way to learn correctly, pray in congregation, and meet other Muslims — most communities are genuinely glad to welcome and help a new Muslim get oriented.
Common early questions
When you take the shahada your record starts fresh: you begin from zero, with no missed prayers or fasts to make up from before Islam; every sin before your shahada is erased — the Prophet asked Amr ibn al-As, 'Are you not aware that Islam wipes out all the previous misdeeds?' (Sahih Muslim 121) — while the good you did before Islam is kept, as he told Hakim ibn Hizam, 'You have embraced Islam with all the previous acts of virtue' (Sahih al-Bukhari 1436).
Your slate at shahada
Becoming Muslim settles your past — both sides of it.
You begin from
0
No missed prayers or fasts to make up from before Islam.
Past sins — erased
When Amr ibn al-As feared his old sins, the Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Are you not aware that Islam wipes out all the previous misdeeds?" Sahih Muslim 121
Past good — kept
To Hakim ibn Hizam, who asked about his years of charity before converting, the Prophet ﷺ said, "You have embraced Islam with all the previous acts of virtue." Sahih al-Bukhari 1436
Do I have to change my name?
No — only if your current name carries a meaning contrary to Islam. The Prophet ﷺ generally kept people's names as they were, changing only the objectionable ones (Sahih Muslim 2139a).
What if I make mistakes in prayer or don't know Arabic yet?
Learn gradually — start with the meaning in your own language while memorizing the Arabic a little at a time. Allah knows your sincerity; the goal is steady progress, not instant fluency.
My family or friends don't understand — what do I do?
This is common and difficult. Be patient, keep good character as your best example, and lean on your local Muslim community for support while relationships adjust.
What should I learn first if I only have a few minutes a day?
The shahada's meaning, wudu, and one prayer — everything else can wait. See the full answer on the Q&A page.
Do my past sins count against me now?
No — becoming Muslim settles your past. When Amr ibn al-As feared his old sins as he pledged Islam, the Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Are you not aware that Islam wipes out all the previous misdeeds?" (Sahih Muslim 121). Every sin before your shahada is erased — you begin from zero, with no missed prayers or fasts to make up from before Islam. And the good you did before isn't lost either: the Prophet ﷺ told Hakim ibn Hizam, who asked about his years of charity before converting, "You have embraced Islam with all the previous acts of virtue" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1436).
Your name and your family
You do not need to change your name. Becoming Muslim is a change of heart and testimony, not of identity papers. The Prophet ﷺ left the Companions' names exactly as they were — Arab and non-Arab alike — and changed a name only when the meaning itself was the problem: a bad or ugly meaning, or a meaning of shirk or servitude to other than Allah. If your name carries no such meaning, keeping it is the Sunnah's default (see the question above). There is likewise no requirement to take an "Arabic" name — a good meaning in any language is enough.
Becoming Muslim does not cut you off from your non-Muslim family — the opposite. Islam commands kindness and good treatment of parents and relatives who are not Muslim. Even in the hardest case the Quran imagines — parents actively pressuring their child to leave tawhid — the command is to refuse the sin but keep the kindness:
"But if they strive to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them — yet accompany them in this world with kindness."
The Prophet ﷺ ruled the same way in practice. When the mother of Asma bint Abi Bakr — still a mushrik, not a Muslim — came to her daughter seeking her favour, Asma went and asked him directly:
Hadith — keep good ties with your mother
"Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr:My mother came to me during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she was a pagan. I said to Allah's Apostle (seeking his verdict), "My mother has come to me and she desires to receive a reward from me, shall I keep good relations with her?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes, keep good relation with her"
Sahih al-Bukhari 2620 · Sahih Muslim 1003
So the rule for a new Muslim is simple: you never obey anyone — parent or otherwise — in disobedience to Allah, but the duty of kindness, visits, gifts, and good company toward your non-Muslim parents and relatives remains fully in force. For many families, your improved character after Islam is the clearest daʿwah they will ever see.
This page is a starting roadmap, not a substitute for a teacher. If you have questions, ask them here or find a knowledgeable person at a local mosque — most communities want to help new Muslims get started well.
Share this page as a poster
A 1080×1920 image made for phone screens — Stories, Status, Reels. It carries the
heading and the link back here, so whoever you send it to can read the whole thing.
