Allah, the Lord and Master of all that is in the Heavens and on Earth, says in Surah aal-Imran that Allah’s religion is Islam. In another verse in the same Surah, He says that whoever seeks a religion besides Islam, it will not be accepted from him. Allah says that such a person in the Hereafter will be among the losers. These are just some of the reasons why conversion to Islam is essential for anyone who wants to fulfill his purpose in this life and worship Allah.
Conversion to Islam is a wonderful thing. With the advent of technology and the digital age, we can especially see this in the way people present stories of Islamic converts (or reverts). Unlike born Muslims, many of whom stray away from religious practices, people who convert to Islam tend to be close to Allah and mindful of practicing Islam in the right way. Thus, people who see the light of Islam and enter it of their own accord are often among the Muslims closest to Allah.
How Islam views other religions
When Adam (a.s.) arrived on Earth, he was the first prophet of Allah. After him, Allah sent numerous prophets to humanity. The message was always the same: to believe in Allah, the one and only God, and to worship and obey Him alone.
Allah mentioned approximately 25 prophets in the Quran. They are Adam, Nuh, Idris, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, Ismail, Al-Yasa, Dhulkifl, Ilyas, Ayyub, Younus, Ishaq, Yaqoob, Yusuf, Shoaib, Musa, Haroon, Dawood, Sulaiman, Zakariya, Yahya, Isa, and Muhammad (PBUT). However, Muslims don’t believe that these were the only prophets. Hadith mention that Allah sent many more prophets to humanity, and they all carried the same message. Conversion to Islam means going back to religion’s true origins, which means to worship one God alone.
Over time, some of the prophets’ teachings were lost. People also distorted others’ teachings. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the only one whose message of Islam Allah wholly preserved in its originality. Allah says in Surah al-Fath that He sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth.
The extent to which people distorted the prophets’ messages varied. Some of them retained a certain amount of monotheism. These are the ones we call the People of the Book (Ahl-e-Kitab), and they are the closest to Muslims. Others completely destroyed the meaning of Islam. Then, there are also religions without any reasonable basis. These mostly consist of worshiping idols and other created beings and objects. This is why God-fearing people who wish to please Allah must abandon their distorted or incorrect religion, and conversion to Islam is a must.
The many virtues of converting to Islam
Conversion to Islam allows humans to focus on their real purpose
People say that slavery ended some time ago or is coming to an end. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. People left one form of slavery and entered another. The latest form of slavery we can find in this world is that of being enslaved to this Dunya or world.
People do all kinds of things to impress others and to improve their social standing. However, they neglect what is truly important. That is to worship Allah alone and obey Him. Being free of sin and corruption is what truly sets a person free, and conversion to Islam is a must for that.
All forms of materialism and the current monetary system found worldwide are a form of enslavement. Conversion to Islam doesn’t mean that a person will give up these things overnight. However, it does mean that they begin to understand what is truly important.
Humans can only find inner peace by converting to Islam
There is a common misconception that Islam means peace, and conversion to Islam automatically guarantees peace. While this is not quite the case, the truth is quite close to this. The word salam means peace, and Islam is an extension of that. Islam basically means submission to the will of Allah, the one and only God, which leads to true peace and happiness.
There is no perfect peace that we can find in this life. We have to live life, and life is full of ups and downs. However, believing in Islam and obeying Allah gives us the best chance of getting peace of mind. We will only find eternal peace by living life according to Allah’s instructions and attaining Paradise in the Hereafter.
Conversion to Islam helps you to gain a proper sense of morality
The concept of morality in this world is rapidly evolving. This is so because humans have taken it upon themselves to define right and wrong. This is a flawed method and is bound to cause confusion; it will fail in the end.
Morality in Islam comes from one source alone, and that is Allah. Allah defines what is acceptable and what is not, and we must adhere to that. The concept of morality doesn’t keep changing in Islam. This avoids confusion and also sets some clear boundaries for Muslims to adhere to. Allah being the Creator of everything knows best, more than any created being can even dream of knowing. Hence, humans must abide by His laws. That is true morality that a non-Muslim will know after conversion.
You realize Allah’s mercy and forgiveness after converting
We know through Hadith that Allah only sent down a small portion of mercy to humanity. We see so many examples of kindness around us every day. However, that is only a tiny fraction of the compassion that Allah possesses.
We can see this in the fact that Allah forgives all sins except for the crime of associating partners with Allah. Therefore, Muslims must always repent and have hope of being forgiven by Allah despite committing wrongdoing. A person who engages in conversion to Islam may feel ashamed of their various actions from the past, when they did not believe in Allah. They must repent sincerely and have hope of being forgiven.
A prime example of this is the Hadith of the man who killed 99 people. Allah says in Surah at-Tahrim that believers should turn to Him in repentance. He then says that He may forgive our sins and admit us into Paradise.
Conversion to Islam readies you for tribulations, gives you perspective
Many people all over the world are puzzled about why things happen. They wonder why natural disasters take place, and many people die in them. They can’t understand why a disabled child is born. Others can’t imagine why people make certain choices in life.
In Islam, we must understand that everything a person goes through is part and parcel of life’s test. Allah preordained all that will happen 50,000 years before the creation of the universe. He tests people so that they have the chance to respond positively or negatively. Allah will handsomely reward people who patiently bear hardship. Conversion to Islam allows people to see these things from the lens of Islam.
Allah says in Surah al-Baqarah that He will test the believers in many ways. Fear, hunger, poverty, and life itself are included in that. But then He says to give glad tidings to those who have patience. Allah is the Most Just, and He will ensure that He serves justice on the last day. Everyone will get what they deserve, though He will forgive people due to His All-Encompassing Mercy.
Only a Muslim can attain Allah’s Love
Conversion to Islam will allow a person to come close to Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) narrated a famous Hadith, quoting what Allah said. Allah said that He will be at war with anyone who has enmity toward one of His devoted servants. He said that the only way people can get close to Him is by taking part in the duties Allah has deemed obligatory for Muslims. He noted that courtesy this, the Muslim keeps getting closer to Allah. When Allah loves a human, he becomes the hearing with which he hears, the seeing with which he sees, etc. Allah also says that if this person were to ask Him for anything, He would give it to him.
Hence, we can see the immense importance of believing in Allah and obeying Him. In the Quran, He outlined all the steps we need to take to make this happen. Allah has laid out a clear path for us that we must follow.
Conversion to Islam gives meaning to our actions
Not only does Allah provide a set of instructions about what to do and what to stay away from, but all things He commands contain reward. Islam teaches that the most basic of acts count as worship. Removing a thorn or stone from the road may harm someone, or even something as simple as visiting the bathroom while offering the required duas is rewarding.
A Muslim’s relationship with Allah encompasses a complete lifetime. We must always live life according to His commands. Hence, anything that someone does according to His commands is rewarding. This includes actions such as spouses engaging in sexual relations. This is because they are avoiding engaging in haram and illegal acts and engaging in a halal act.
The biggest virtue of conversion is the acceptance of Allah as your Lord
There is no doubt that the main thing a person gains by converting to Islam is to accept Allah as the Lord. Allah says in the Quran that He created humankind and jinns to worship Him alone. All humans have the fitra, i.e., a natural disposition to worship Allah. It is the parents and surroundings of a person that take him into other belief systems.
Conversion, or reverting to Islam, is simply a means to come back to the right thing. It automatically improves a person’s life and Hereafter. Even if a person has to go through difficulties in this life after that, they can be assured of a just decision from Allah on the Day of Judgment. After all, Muslims who believe in Allah are the ones who qualify for Paradise.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to be guided to Islam. When one gets the chance to engage in conversion to Islam and fulfill their purpose in life, they must take this chance and get closer to Allah Almighty.
Wrapping Up
Embracing Islam humanizes individuals, guiding them towards a profound connection with the One True God, Allah. This faith journey offers spiritual enlightenment, moral clarity, and inner peace. It instills a sense of purpose, virtue, and the hope of eternal reward. Conversion to Islam is a deeply personal and transformative experience that humanizes one’s relationship with the Divine.
