New to Islam? Your first 30 days
What actually matters first, what can wait, and how to learn without burning out.
7 minute read · SunnahPanda
Welcome. Whether you took your shahadah last week or you're still thinking about it, the first weeks can feel like drinking from a fire hose. There are new words, new habits, and a lot of advice, some of it contradictory. This guide is about getting the order right.
Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.
Start here
- 1
Understand your shahadah
"There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah." Everything else in Islam is built on this. Spend time on what it means: worship belongs to Allah alone, and we follow the Prophet ﷺ in how we worship Him.
- 2
Take a ghusl
A full ritual bath. The schools differ on whether it is required of every new Muslim, but for most adults it is, so it's simplest to do it. See the ghusl guide for how.
- 3
Learn wudu
The washing before prayer. It takes ten minutes to learn and you'll use it every day.
- 4
Start praying
Salah is the first thing you'll be asked about. Begin praying the five daily prayers as soon as you can, even before you know all the words.
- 5
Learn al-Fatihah
The opening chapter of the Qur'an, recited in every unit of prayer. Seven short verses. Learn it a verse at a time.
Praying before you know the words
A man once told the Prophet ﷺ he couldn't learn any of the Qur'an and asked what he should say instead. He was taught: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (Sunan Abi Dawud 832). Scholars cite this for new Muslims: pray with what you can say while you learn the rest.
What can wait
- Changing your name. It isn't required unless the name has a meaning that clashes with Islam.
- Learning Arabic fluently. It's a beautiful goal, but it's not a condition for anything.
- Picking a madhab on day one. Learn from one trusted teacher and follow what they teach for now.
- Every opinion online. Find one or two reliable teachers and give yourself time.
Family
Your parents and family keep their rights over you. The Qur'an tells us to keep good company with parents in this world even when they don't share our faith (Luqman 31:15). Kindness, patience and showing up for them is often the best explanation of Islam they'll ever get.
Inheritance and non-Muslim family
Under Islamic law a Muslim and a non-Muslim do not inherit from each other by the fixed shares, but you can still leave non-Muslim relatives a gift in your will of up to one third. In the UK this only happens if you write a valid will. See the inheritance guide.
Good to know
Find your local masjid and ask if they run classes for new Muslims. Many do, and having people who remember being new themselves makes a huge difference.
Spotted something that needs correcting, or follow a different view? We want these guides to be right. Get in touch and we'll take a look.