New/Non-Muslims 

Islam 101: New Muslim Support Group

Every Friday at 8pm at Islamic Center of Orlando, 11551 Ruby Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32836

The first course will be "How to Perform Salah (Prayer)" which is a 10-week course teaching the basics of the Muslim prayer. This class is for those who are new to islam or for anyone who does not know how to complete the prayer. Classes are designed o address the different aspects of prayer at an effective and engaging pace over the 10 weeks.

How to Become a Muslim

At over 1.5 billion members and growing, Islam is, by some measures, the fastest-growing religion in the world. Unique among the world's religions in the ease with which new members may join its ranks, Islam requires only a simple, sincere declaration of faith to become a Muslim. The declaration is not to be made lightly, however - devoting oneself to a life guided by Islamic principles is one of the most important (if not the most important) acts you'll ever make.

You should know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it , as a new convert your record is clean, and it is as if you was just born from your mother’s womb, one should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.

Make sure you know what it means to be Muslim

Islam considers itself to be the natural way of all creation. That is, Islam is the original, perfect state of being. So, when a person "converts" to Islam, he/she is actually reverting to their own original nature.
  • Islam considers anyone who adheres to this state of being to be a Muslim, regardless of when or where she or he lived. For instance, Islam believes that Jesus was a Muslim, though he lived hundreds of years before Islam's historical founding
  • Allah, the Islamic name for God, refers to the same God worshiped by Christians and Jews (aka the "Abrahamic" God). Thus, Muslims revere the prophets of Christianity and Judaism (including Jesus, Moses, Elijah, etc.) and consider the Bible and Torah to be divinely-inspired, albeit corrupted

Read Islamic Scripture

The Quran is the central religious book of Islam, believed to be the unadulterated word of God and the culmination of all previous Christian and Jewish scripture. Another very important religious scripture is the Hadith, the sayings and accounts of Muhammad. Hadith collections form the basis for much of Islamic law. Reading these holy writings will give you an understanding of the stories, laws, and teachings that make up Islamic belief.

Talk with an Imam

Imams are Islamic religious leaders who conduct religious services inside and outside the mosque. Imams are chosen for their knowledge of Islamic scripture and their good character. A good Imam will be able to counsel you when deciding whether you're ready to devote to Islam.

Say the Shahada

If you're absolutely sure you want to become a Muslim, all you need to do is recite the Shahada, a short oral declaration of faith. The words of the Shahada are "La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur rasulullah" . This translates to "I testify that there is no other god but Allah, and Muhammad is God's messenger (prophet)." By saying the Shahada, you become a Muslim.
  • The first part of the Shahada ("La ilaha illallah") refers not only to deities from other religions, but also to earthly things which can take the place of Allah in your heart - wealth and power, for example
  • The second part of the Shahada ("Muhammadur rasulullah") is a recognition that the word of Muhammad is the word of God. Muslims are required to live by the principles of Muhammad revealed in the Quran - the Shahada is a pledge to follow these principles
  • The Shahada must be said with sincerity and understanding to be binding. You can't become a Muslim just by pronouncing the words - the oral recitation is a reflection of belief that's held in the heart.

A Guide for the New Muslim (12 CDs)

Al-Basheer is proud to introduce a new CD collection from renowned author and Sheikh, Br. Jamaal Zarabozo. The new collection is called A Guide for New Muslims and is one of his best introductions to Islam yet. The collection is also of benefit to those who are looking to revert to Islam, as well as those who are looking for valuable Dawah materials. Br. Jamaal Zarabozo offers his insight and practical guidance to those entering Islam, and answers many frequently asked questions from those new to the religion. These highly recommended CDs will be a good reference material and source of education for you, your family, friends and Dawah practice for time to come and a good addition to your CD/lecture library.

Overview of the series:
CD 1- The Purpose and Goals of the Series
CD 2- The Basic sources of Islam: Quran, Sunnah & Hadith
CD 3- The Universality of Islam and Its Timelessness
CD 4- Testimony of Faith; Islamic Law and Fiqh
CD 5- Special Rewards for the Convert / Issue of Faith and Marriage from Pre-Muslim Days
CD 6- Islamic Creed and The Article of Faith
CD 7- The Ritual Acts & The Five Pillars of Islam
CD 8- The Character, Morals & Relations of The Muslim
CD 9- A Muslims Social Interaction Towards a Spouse
CD 10-A Muslims Social Behavior with Neighbors and Non-Muslims
CD 11-The Social Behavior with the Society as a Muslim
CD 12-Motivating and Increasing Ones Faith

About the Speaker:
SH. Jamaal Zarabozo is a well known Scholar and long time convert to Islam. He is internationally renowned as aspeaker and author of a number of books, including the three-volume Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi, How to Approach and Understand the Quran, Purification of the Soul and others. His other available lecture series include the 28-lecture series A Study of Surah al-Faatihah and 7-Audio Cds of Al-Hasad ( Envy ).

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