Of Umar, son of Al-Khattab, may God's grace be upon him, thus it was said: Lo, as we sat in the presence of God's Emissary, peace and blessings be upon him, there came unto us a man arrayed in garments of purest white and with hair of deepest black. Upon him bore no trace of a journey, nor was he known amongst us. He drew nigh unto the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and with his knees touching the Prophet's own, he rested his hands upon his thighs, and thus he spake, "O Muhammad, I beseech thee, speak unto me of this Islam."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, responded, "Verily, Islam is to testify that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger, to observe prayer, to give alms, to fast during the month of Ramadan, and to make pilgrimage unto the Sacred House, if thou art able to journey there."

"Thou hast spoken truly," the man replied. We marvelled greatly at this stranger who sought the Prophet's wisdom, and then confirmed its truth. He then inquired further, "Now tell me of faith."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, answered, "Faith is to believe in God, His angels, His holy books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree, whether it brings good or ill."

"Thou hast spoken truly," the man affirmed. "Now speak to me of goodness."

The Prophet replied, "Goodness is to worship God as though thou seest Him, for even if thou dost not see Him, He seeth thee."

"Now tell me of the Final Hour," the stranger implored.

"Of that hour," replied the Prophet, "the one who is asked knows no more than the one who asks."

"Then speak to me of its signs."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, answered, "The signs shall be that a servant girl shall give birth to her mistress, and thou shalt see the barefoot, the naked, the destitute, the shepherds vying in the construction of lofty buildings."

With that, the stranger took his leave. After a while had passed, the Prophet turned to me and asked, "O Umar, dost thou know who was the questioner?"

"Nay," I responded, "God and His Messenger know best."

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Verily, it was the angel Gabriel. He came to teach you your religion."

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Muhammad, upon whom be peace and blessings, received from his Lord the unifying principle of Islam, in both its faith and in its divine law, and that principle is the sacred Koran. The Koran, in the sight of God and the faithful, has stood as the fountainhead from which the elemental precepts of Islam are drawn. From this divine source, it is revealed that Islam has two main bases. These bases, though they are the very essence of Islam, do not find their truth nor their meaning until they are allowed to take root and blossom in the mind, heart, and life of a soul. These two bases are thus: the faith and the divine law.

The faith is the contemplative facet that first and foremost requires belief, a belief that is not perturbed by the shadow of doubt, nor marred by the taint of suspicion. By its very nature, the clear verses of the Koran converge to affirm its truth, and it is upon this truth that the faithful have unanimously agreed since the dawn of the call to Islam, despite the differences that might have appeared thereafter. The faith was the first invitation extended by the Messenger, who called upon the people to embrace it during the first stages of the call to Islam. This call echoes the voices of all the Messengers sent by God, as indicated by the Koran in its relations of Prophets and Messengers.

The divine law, in contrast, is the collection of edicts decreed by God, or the principles thereof, by which one might guide oneself in one's relationship with the Divine, with one's Muslim brethren, with all of humanity, with the universe, and with the course of life itself.

The Koran speaks of faith as "belief" and of divine law as "righteous deeds". This is manifest in many of its resounding verses: 

"Verily, those who believe and work righteousness, for them are the Gardens of Paradise for their entertainment. Therein they shall dwell forever, desiring no change." 

"Whosoever doeth righteousness, be it male or female, and is a believer, verily to such will We give a life that is good, and We shall bestow on them their reward with the best of their works." 

"By time, verily, Man is at loss, save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance." 

"Verily those who say: 'Our Lord is God,' and afterward are upright, on them shall be no fear, neither shall they grieve."

Hence, Islam is not merely faith, nor is it simply the relationship between Man and his Divine Lord, but it is both faith and divine law, guiding the soul through all the aspects of its divine journey, contemplating the interplay between the various facets of goodness in life.

“He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.”  

Koran, 3:3

“Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants, the righteous, shall inherit the earth."  

Koran, 21:105

“Nothing of our revelation (even a single verse) do we abrogate or cause be forgotten, but we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof. Knowest thou not that Allah is Able to do all things?" 

Koran, 2:106

As Muslims, we believe that the prophets of the Bible received revelation, and that revelation was incumbent upon the people of their times to believe, and follow. Over time, those revelations were not preserved, or they were abrogated by prophets that came after them. While the records of revelation that are still preserved to some level within the Bible contain wisdom, and can even provide context to the Quran, they do not carry authority today. The final revelation of God is preserved in the Koran, and it is in this testament that authority resides.

"Say: He is Allah, the One!

Allah, the eternally Besought of all!

He begetteth not nor was begotten.

And there is none comparable unto Him." 

Koran, 112

Muslims believe that God is the One, alone without partners. He is a personal God for whom we act out of love, and fear. God interacts directly within human history, and has brought destruction to previous people because of their sins. He redeems the righteous, and forgives those who turn to Him in sincere repentance. He does all of this without the need of an intercessor, or anything from this world.

"O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender." 

Koran, 4:171

God is uniquely One in Islam. Muslims do not believe that He consists of multiple persons that comprise the Trinity. God is transcendent beyond this concept. God is as He is. This is a concept of divine oneness that is held by all Muslims. Because of this, Muslims do not believe that Jesus was the incarnation of the Son of God, and therefore not part of the Trinity.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 

Bible, John 14:6

"There is not one of the People of the Scripture but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them"

Koran, 4:159

Muslims believe that Jesus is one of the most honored of the prophets and messengers. As such, it is absolutely necessary for all Muslims to believe in Jesus, to love him, and to honor him. Denial of Jesus in his role, or denigration of Jesus in any way is not only a major sin, but is itself disbelief, and casts one outside of Islam. It is therefore incumbent upon Muslims to defend the honor of Jesus, and protect him from the attacks of those who attack him. Jesus's role in salvation is in guiding those of his time who followed his original message of submission to God and upholding the Truth of monotheism.

"When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with the holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic."

Koran, 5:110

As the trinity is rejected, the Muslim faith does not hold that the Holy Spirit is one of the persons that comprise it. Instead, Islam reveals that this is one of the names for the archangel Gabriel. Gabriel is the angel of revelation and was sent as a protection for Jesus. As with Jesus, we must believe in Gabriel, honor him, and love him. Many today will speak of the Holy Spirit in the context of the person of the Trinity that guides them, or enables them. We believe that divine inspiration and facilitation exist. These come from God, and God alone. This does not add anything to God in the way of trinity.

"Say: Shall I seek another than Allah for Lord, when He is Lord of all things? Each soul earneth only on its own account, nor doth any laden bear another's load. Then unto your Lord is your return and He will tell you that wherein ye differed."

Koran, 6:164

"Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk."

Koran, 2:286

While the nature of man inclines toward sin, God does not burden man beyond what he can bear. The Lord's perfect justice does not see a soul punishable for a crime it did not commit. Thus, there is no concept of original sin within Islam. However, God's justice does see man as accountable for the sin he does burden himself with; and the greatest of all sins is the sin of infidelity, of which all disbelievers are guilty. The Koran affirms that all souls have a covenant with their Lord, one that they must reaffirm and uphold by the end of their earthly life in order to achieve salvation:

"And (remember) when thy Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily. We testify. (That was) lest ye should say at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this we were unaware."

Koran, 7:172

Ultimately, salvation is by God's grace alone, which is promised only to believers, regardless of any other sins they might bear, save infidelity. Reaffirming that divine covenant made with God by each and every soul before embodiment is the act of embracing Islam, which means affirming the One True God and turning to Him in submission. Through this act, God forgives all sin that came before it. Indeed, God's overwhelming Mercy will pardon all sins upon sincere repentance.

"And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain."

Koran, 4:157

Muslims do not believe that the crucifixion occurred, nor do we believe that it was necessary for the salvation of humanity. Since Jesus was not crucified, he was also therefore not resurrected. Rather, the Messiah Jesus Christ was brought up to heaven alive and will return to defeat the anti-Christ in the end times. Thus, the concept of the sacrifice that atones for the original sin is rejected. Rather, sincere repentance and turning to God are only means of atonement for sin. Along with this, if a person wrongs another, then it is their responsibility to attempt to rectify the injustice caused to that person. The sins of a person cannot be taken on by another. God’s mercy and forgiveness are freely given and do not require earthly acts such as sacrifices in order to be granted. This precludes the need for sacrifice.

"Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

Koran, 39:53

Muslims believe that God is able to forgive all sins. He has promised us that His mercy prevails over His wrath. By embracing Islam, a person is turning away from the heedlessness of God, and committing to being conscious of His commandments. Though we may fall short, God’s mercy and forgiveness are always available. We can turn back to Him at any time in sincere repentance and hope that our wrongs will be expunged from our records.

"Lo! those who believe and do good works, theirs are the Gardens of Paradise for welcome, wherein they will abide, with no desire to be removed from thence."

Koran, 18:107-108

"Allah promiseth the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers fire of hell for their abode. It will suffice them. Allah curseth them, and theirs is lasting torment."

Koran, 9:68

Muslims believe in heaven and hell. We hope for the gardens of Paradise wherein will be untold pleasures. The ultimate reward of Paradise is the Beatific Vision of God. Those who are drawn near to God will experience this vision the most, but all in Paradise will experience it. For those who reject faith, and therefore God Himself, there is the abode of doom. This will result in eternal torment and damnation. While eternal salvation is ultimately promised to all believers eventually, God's perfect justice dictates that those among them who have committed grave sins without sincere repentance are deserving of punishment in the Hellfire. This is because, while ultimately affirming the Truth of His power and dominion, they yet disobeyed His commands and earned His wrath, and did not take the means to obtain His forgiveness through sincere repentance. However, because of their belief in God, they will eventually be redeemed from this fate and pulled out of hell by His grace, entering into heaven to dwell therein for eternity.

Aisha reported: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Follow the right course, be devoted, and give glad tidings. Verily, none of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone.” They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “Not even me, unless Allah grants me His grace. Know that the most beloved deed to Allah is that which is done regularly, even if it is small.”" 

Bukhari and Muslim

In this tradition by the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, God’s grace is what will ultimately bless a person to enter Paradise. No good works are enough to enter a person into Paradise. All that we do pales in comparison to the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. We are always suspect of our intentions for the deeds that we do lest they seek reward, fame, or some other worldly end. Rather, it is small deeds constantly done that are a sign of the true nature of the person, not ostentations displays of charity or other such vain acts. Good works, therefore, should flow from of a person as a sign of their faith, inspired by a love of God, while relying upon God’s grace for ultimate salvation.

At the very essence, to take upon oneself the mantle of the Muslim faith is to accept, in truth and spirit, the divine wisdom brought forth by the Blessed Prophet, upon whom be peace. With this holy acceptance comes the promise of everlasting peace in the life that awaits us beyond our mortal existence. 

A simple affirmation of the sacred creed of Islam within the deepest chambers of your heart bestows upon you the divine gift of eternal salvation.

Part of this acceptance of divine truth is the understanding that actions, by their very nature, possess either a goodness or an evil. And upon this understanding, you accept that you will face divine judgement, reflecting upon the deeds you performed throughout your temporal life. Those of the Muslim faith acknowledge that sin, indeed, represents an evil. Yet, even he with towering actions of evil is still within the embrace of the Muslim faith, and thus saved, as long as he does not renounce the unalterable truth of the Almighty God and His divine message.

To enter unto the faith and to secure for oneself the grace of eternal salvation, one must bear simple belief: there exists no deity but the One True God, and that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His final prophet; trusting in all the divine wisdom that he brought forth and acknowledging everything he imparted as the embodiment of righteousness, goodness, and truth. Once such conviction finds its dwelling place within the chambers of your heart, you are, indeed, a Muslim.

May this conviction blossom in the quiet sanctuary of the soul, illuminating the contours of faith with the soft light of profound belief, and be a testament to the enduring bond between the Divine and the human heart; Amen. 

The mystical journey to embrace Islam is, indeed, a voyage of the heart towards a deeper understanding of the Divine, a spiritual ascent towards the Ultimate Truth. This sincere yearning for eternal communion with the One True God invokes a spiritual introspection.

To cultivate this sacred belief and foster this divine relationship, one must set forth on a journey of study and practice, seeking deeper understanding of the Almighty God and His cherished Messenger. To help guide you, we have gathered a collection of resources intended for casual reading that, Lord willing, will light the path to knowledge of God and His holy Prophet, peace and blessings upon him. We warmly invite you to to visit the "Convert Resources" section of this site. You may also contact us if you are beset by uncertainties or questions. May God bless you on this journey of spiritual discovery, and may He fortify your resolve in truth and guide you towards righteous actions. So be it. Amen.