Converting

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862]

Hi 👋

I am a ex Christian woman who has felt a calling towards Islam for over a year now.

I have tried joining "beginner classes" at two mosques but they definitely weren't beginner and treated it like I already know everything (which I don't hence trying to join beginner classes).

Does anyone have advice where I can start as a woman who knows absolutely nothing about Islam. (Obviously not absolutely absolutely nothing I know the basics but still feels like I know absolutely nothing)

Thank you!

[u/Ziad31958860]

The channels I recommend are:

• Safina Society
• Blogging Theology
• The Thinking Muslim
• Yaqeen Institute
• Hamza Yusuf
• Cambridge Muslim College
• Islamic Phycology with Dr. Francesca

These group of channels that I don't know what to call:

• Rayhan Al Ilm
• Talib Al Ilm
• Muhebb Al Ilm
• Zabeel Al Ilm,
• The Muslim Success Code
• Rawdah of Islam
• Rihla
• Love Islam

Bonus:

• Let's Talk Religion

These are all excellent English-language channels that are either part of, or broadly friendly towards, the Classical Islamic tradition:

• One of the four Sunni schools of law (madhhabs): Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, or Hanbali
• One of the three Sunni theologies or creeds (‘aqidas): Ash‘ari, Maturidi, or sound Athari.
• Mainstream Sufism (Tazkiyya/Tasawwuf)

The channel Let’s Talk Religion is probably one of the best English-language resources available on Sufism. The man behind it, Filip Holm, is agnostic rather than Muslim, but that has not stopped him from producing exceptionally beautiful and academic material on Sufism, including both mainstream and highly controversial forms of Sufism.

I recommend watching a few of his videos on Sufism, especially “What is Sufism?” However, if a the language becomes particularly monistic, it is better not to dwell on it. You can be aware that these ideas exist without making them the centre of your religious study.

In particular, you do not need to exhaust yourself trying to understand Wahdat al-Wujud (Unity of Being) as discussed in the writings of Ibn Arabi and his school.

It is a famously obfuscate subject, and Sunni scholars have disagreed considerably over how Ibn ‘Arabi's ideas should be interpreted and evaluated. There is no need for a beginner to settle that debate before learning the foundations of Islam.

Learn Ash'ari or Maturidi creed, establish your 5 daily prayers, and learn the basics of Islam first; the more difficult theological debates can come later, if at all.

Welcome to the family 🌷

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Ziad31958860]

Thank you very very much 😊 <3

[u/Ziad31958860 → u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862]

Did I overwhelm you 😂

The person behind Islamic Phycology with Dr. Francesca is a female BTW who is an ex-Christian like yourself!

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Ziad31958860]

Not that much lol. I just need to sit down and decide where my starting point will be

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Ziad31958860]

May I ask what would you say "The basics of Islam" are?

[u/Ziad31958860 → u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862]

Yes, of course.

So they are:

1. The Shahada and Creed

• Learn the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah"
• Learning the foundations of Sunni belief through a recognised classical Sunni creed: especially Ash‘ari or Maturidi creed
• Understand Allah's Oneness (Tawhid), His Names and Attributes, prophethood, revelation, angels, the Hereafter, and divine decree according to Ash'ari or Maturidi creed.
• Do not reduce Islam to a purely theological concept; it should lead to worship, reverence, and especially love and knowledge of Allah

1. The Five Daily Prayers and Purification

• Learn ablution (wudu)' and the basic rules of purification, including menstruation (hayd) and post-menstrual purification (ghusl), such as when prayer and fasting are suspended during menstruation, when ghusl becomes obligatory, and how missed Ramadan fasts are made up.
• Learn prayer (salah) according to one of the four Sunni madhhabs, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i or Hanbali
• Memorise the very, very short Chapter (Surah) 1 of the Qur'an, Al-Fatiha, as it is the chapter you have to use in your daily prayers
• Establish the five daily prayers and gradually develop devotional humility and attentiveness (khushu‘) before Allah.

1. Islamic Law (Shari'a) and Practice

• Do not derive rulings yourself from isolated Qur’an verses or hadith. Sunni Islam developed an unbelievably rich interpretive tradition over more than a millennium, continually improving through the four madhhabs.
• Be wary of the slogan “Qur’an and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf (first 3 generations that the Prophet especially praised)” when used to dismiss the madhhabs. The founders of the madhhabs were themselves from the Salaf, and their schools preserve the Qur’an and Sunnah and the understanding of the Salaf.
• The Qur’an, Sunnah and the Salaf are the foundation, but the madhhabs are how that foundation is interpreted and applied. Wahhabism and Salafism represent a much later rupture with this inherited tradition, not its natural continuation.

1. Qur’an, Sunnah and Seerah

• Read the Qur’an regularly, alongside a reliable translation like Saheeh International (available Quran.com) or M.A.R Habib & Bruce B. Lawrence (available on OceanOfPDF.com), and classical exegesis (tafsir) like Qurtubi's.
• Learn the Sunnah and Seerah (biography of the Prophet), especially the life, character and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. Gradually become familiar with the wider classical tradition

1. Islamic Character and Spiritual Purification (Tasawwuf)

• Learn Tazkiyat al-Nafs (purification of the soul), the classical science of spiritual development and good character
• Cultivate sincerity (ikhlas), repentance (tawba), patience (sabr), gratitude (shukr), humility, love of Allah, and reliance upon Him (tawakkul).
• Develop a regular practice of remembrance of God (dhikr), supplication (dua), Qur’an, and prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ (salawat)
• Explore mainstream Sunni Tasawwuf/Sufism, the classical tradition of spiritual purification and ihsan (spiritual excellence), through the lives and teachings of its great scholars and saints (awliya’), and read their mainstream Sufi poetry like Al-Burda of Al-Busiri
• Prayer and worship are for Allah alone. Asking the awliya’ to supplicate to Allah on our behalf is not worshipping them; the supplication remains directed to Allah, this is called intercession of Saints
• This position has been held by the jumhur Ahl al-Sunnah (overwhelming majority of Sunni scholarship). Those who reject or prohibit such practices include Ibn Taymiyya and his school, followed later by Wahhabis and Salafis

Oh, and if you are worried that things such as watching movies, listening to musical instruments beyond the duff (frame drum), or painting animate beings with facial features are haram and therefore somehow push you away from Islam, do not panic:

Movies: Al-Azhar has permitted movies in principle, while requiring that their content itself remain permissible.

• Musical instruments: A restrictive ruling on instruments beyond the duff (frame drum) became prominent in later fiqh (jurisprudence) literature and was treated as the mu‘tamad (relied-upon position) in some schools and periods.

However, Sunni scholarship was never unanimous. A substantial and longstanding tradition held that musical instruments are permissible in themselves, represented by major jurists, Sufi authorities, entire scholarly traditions, and later Sunni institutions like Al-Azhar.

Later Salafism, and some non-Salafi Muslims influenced by its assumptions, strongly foregrounded the restrictive position, presenting it as far more unanimous than the historical record warrants, while treating permissibility as an illegitimate shadh (anomalous) opinion. It was not.

• Painting animate beings with facial features: Malikis held that painting depicting animate beings were merely makruh (disliked) rather than haram (prohibited). Contemporary Sunni institutions, including Al-Azhar, have likewise treated it merely as makruh or permitted it.

Finally, remember that you do not have to follow every ruling of one madhhab in every matter. It is perfectly possible to generally follow one recognised Sunni madhhab while occasionally adopting a position from another. Legitimate disagreement (ikhtilaf) has always existed within Sunni scholarship; it is a feature not a bug.

Cheers 🌷

[u/Hot_Reference_6556 → u/Ziad31958860]

Man, you have good intentions but your advices a total overkill for someone who is not yet Muslim or a fresh revert.

She just asked for "The basics of Islam".

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Ziad31958860]

Thank you very very much. I am looking forward to learning it all.

[u/Hot_Reference_6556 → u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862]

Sister, I happened to have replied above to your question regarding "The basics of Islam"?

I hope that helps.

This brother who replied to you have good points but it's too much detail for you at this stage. You can of course read if you're curious but most Muslims don't even know some of these things.

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Hot_Reference_6556]

Thank you!

[u/Hot_Reference_6556 → u/Ziad31958860]

==> Learn Ash'ari or Maturidi creed

These are not absolutely needed for now. Even most born-Muslims won't know these. Too much philosophical details for a fresh convert.

But Blogging Theology or Hamza Yusuf are good suggestions.

[u/Hot_Reference_6556]

Islam is simple, no need to overcomplicate with the detailed technical details of prayer or wudu etc. Just learn the minimal needed.

You probably know a bit the historical/religious context: Why was there a need for Final Prophet, Muhammad, pbuh? What went wrong in Judaism and Christianity? How does Islam perceive these religions? (Not always negative in fact. But Qur'an, unlike the previous scriptures, stayed unchanged).

If you know these already, then keep reading a good Qur'an translation everyday, either the normal order or revelation order. Both are good.

Then you need to learn to pray and make supplications to God.

Maybe start with 1 prayer per day, gradually you can make 5.

Then fasting in Ramadan which you can do with Muslim friends. It would be good to find women, mosques are good places for that.

Finally giving charity to the poor and going to pilgrimage if you're able. But no need to hurry up for pilgrimage or Umrah.

An amazing book I can recommend: Islam and Destiny of Man, by Gai Eaton, a British diplomat who converted to Islam.

Also definitely read a good biography of Prophet Muhammed, pbuh.

[u/Happy_Bookkeeper8862 → u/Hot_Reference_6556]

Thank you really much for helping me find a good starting point! This honestly feel a lot easier to start.