To: soc.religion.islam
From: tyagi mordred nagasiva <tyagi@shell.portal.com>
Subject: Re: How does one become a muslim (9406.bcmmslm.h)
Date: 49940807
Quoting: |nkosi@wam.umd.edu (PG2User) 

[I wrote this on 940628 but didn't figure out how to post it until now.]

Assalam alaikum, my kin.


|I have a simple question: what are the steps needed for a non-muslim to
|become a muslim. I will like to know

1) learn to acknowledge the unity of Allah and His Prophet

This involves seeing all gods as One God (fostering a healthy respect
for all of the divinities of the world) and being able to place yourself
in a student relation with all sources of Allah's wisdom (seeing the
perfect Prophet in each).

It is said that this first is all that is actually necessary to become
a muslim, but if you persist in the Righteous Path you shall come to
know the following paths as well....


2) learn to pray

This involves knowing the direction of prayer (toward Allah), the timing
of prayer (when the heart/qalb is open) and the content of prayer
(acceptance).


3) learn to make pilgrimmage

This involves journeying to the omphalos of the world and kissing it
with the devotion of the saints.


4) learn to give alms

This involves opening your resources to the truly needy.


5) learn to foster a reservoir of discipline in remembrance

This involves celebration of holy days (months, like Ramadan)
with undertaking of fasts or other disciplines, honoring and
remembering the very important principles taught to us by Allah
through His Prophet.
 

Some also say that struggle in the cause of Allah (jihad) is quite
important.  In any case, given all of the above, one may feel secure
that one is treading the way of islam.

Of course if you are talking about *Islam*, the religious sect, then
practice and doctrine vary, though the above may translate into the
pilgrimmage to the Ka'ab; prayer 5 times a day toward the Ka'ab;
the recitation, understanding and belief in the Double-Testimony of
Faith ('There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Prophet'); the
celebration of the month of Ramadan with fast from sunup to sundown;
and the giving of alms to the poor or to the religious community.
 

|nkosi@wam.umd.edu

beware the infidels

Haramullah
tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com