In order to become a Muslim, one simply must declare the shahadah, which is the first Pillar of Islam:
“Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa Allah wa ask-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh”
which means
“I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) is His slave and Messenger”.
The above needs a deeper understanding and NOT simply uttered without any knowledge.
Prior to all these, one needs to understand:
No one is forced to be a Muslim, as Allah has stated:
“There is no compulsion in religion…” (Qur’an surah al Baqarah 2: 256)
The intention to become a Muslim must also be purely for the sake of God, and not due to other things, such as marriage.
Other aspects of the Pillars of Islam can be done after the shahadah and should be done at the pace that is easy for the new Muslim inshaAllah.
Lastly, it is not an essential requirement for the shahadah to be taken in front of witnesses, as it is between himself/herself and Allah. However, it is always a good practise to do it in front of a knowledgeable person in order for the person who decides to become a Muslim to have a clear understanding of Islam. The pronunciation in Arabic can also be corrected by the knowledgeable person. It is also a good practice either during shahadah or at a later stage to have a shahadah certificate simply for entry into Saudi Arabia for Hajj/Umrah or the certificate may be a requirement to marry a Muslim brother/sister in the future.
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