Accept Islam first and then learn the basics or vice versa

· 14 Shawwal 1433 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

When one wants to become a muslim, do we first say the shahada and then learn the basics of Islam for example how to make Salaah or must we first learn these basics and then recite the shahada?

Answer

If one wishes to accept Islam, one should not delay. One should recite the Shahaada and immediately begin learning the fundamentals of Islam and its teachings.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

عن ابن عباس : أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم بعث معاذا إلى اليمن فقال له إنك تأتي قوما أهل كتاب فادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في اليوم والليلة فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة في أموالهم تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهم فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك فإياك وكرائم أموالهم واتق دعوة المظلوم فإنها ليس بينها وبين الله حجاب وفي الباب عن الصنابحي. (الترمذي رقم 625)

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, please ask a Mufti. Report an issue

For corrections or mistakes, please email us at fatawasa786@gmail.com.

People also ask

How does a person accept Islam, and what then?

“A haraam means can never be acceptable, no matter what the outcome be. For example, one has to open up a brothel or bottle store and because of the good culture and mannersim people are accepting Islam. Will this business be…”

Mufti Online · 226 fatawa from 8 Darul Iftas on this

What the Darul Iftas say