The Preferable Course for One Seeking to Embrace Islam
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Regarding disbelievers who wish to enter Islam, some of the brothers hold that one should not rush them into it. Rather, he sees that they should be given books and tapes and left for a month or two so that they can learn and understand the Islamic creed.The man comes and says: I want to enter Islam, and after that, you will inform me of the acts of worship that are obligatory upon me. Is it preferable that we hasten and have him enter Islam, or should we delay it until he learns?
The reality is that some people, as I mentioned, say: These people who come to us as visitors, one of them might say: "I want Islam, but I am ignorant of it." If he enters Islam and it does not please him, and he does not appreciate the rituals of Islam, he will turn back on his heels. In that case, the calamity will be greater; because if he enters Islam and then turns back, he becomes an apostate. But if he remains on his religion, he is an original disbeliever. And the apostate is greater than the original disbeliever; because the original disbeliever is left on his religion, whereas the apostate is not left on his apostasy. He is called to Islam, and if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is killed. So some of the brothers see that we should not hasten.
Furthermore, some of these workers may claim to be Muslim for a worldly purpose, not out of love for Islam. So it is preferable that we establish the proof against him by explaining Islam, and then he enters with full knowledge, rather than us hastening. Therefore, one should look at the circumstances. If we see that this man is a worker among a group of Muslims, and he observes their purity, their prayers, their remembrance of Allah, and their conduct, then from the moment he says that he is eager for Islam, we accept it from him. But if he is ignorant and has only recently arrived, and knows nothing about Islam, then it is good that we explain Islam to him first, and then accept his claim of Islam.
The reality is that some people, as I mentioned, say: These people who come to us as visitors, one of them might say: "I want Islam, but I am ignorant of it." If he enters Islam and it does not please him, and he does not appreciate the rituals of Islam, he will turn back on his heels. In that case, the calamity will be greater; because if he enters Islam and then turns back, he becomes an apostate. But if he remains on his religion, he is an original disbeliever. And the apostate is greater than the original disbeliever; because the original disbeliever is left on his religion, whereas the apostate is not left on his apostasy. He is called to Islam, and if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is killed. So some of the brothers see that we should not hasten.
Furthermore, some of these workers may claim to be Muslim for a worldly purpose, not out of love for Islam. So it is preferable that we establish the proof against him by explaining Islam, and then he enters with full knowledge, rather than us hastening. Therefore, one should look at the circumstances. If we see that this man is a worker among a group of Muslims, and he observes their purity, their prayers, their remembrance of Allah, and their conduct, then from the moment he says that he is eager for Islam, we accept it from him. But if he is ignorant and has only recently arrived, and knows nothing about Islam, then it is good that we explain Islam to him first, and then accept his claim of Islam.