For brothers and sisters who are new to Islam, or finding their way back
You’ve found Islam. Now walk it with your brothers and sisters.
Guidance is from Allah. Support is our job.
Free for everyone. No account needed. All content is being checked with our scholars.
Step 1 of 2
Where are you today?
Step 2 of 2
More on this page: quick links, a tour, this week, and what is on
What do you need right now?
I want to become Muslim. Shahada I want to learn how to pray. Learn I want to understand what I’ve said yes to. Learn I want to learn to read the Quran. Quran I have a question. Ask I need someone to talk to. Ask I’m looking for people near me. Find a circle Things are getting hard. When it gets hard I’m a sister looking for a sisters’ space. Sisters I want to help someone else. Get involved I’m just curious about Islam. What is Islam?New here? A 30-second tour of the site
- Start is this page. Pick the door that fits you, or use the search above.
- Your journey shows the road. Choose which road is yours: new, a while ago, or born Muslim.
- Learn has a topic for each part of the faith. Each opens with the why, then the answer, then your questions. Tick a topic when it clicks, and take the quick check at the bottom.
- In Prayer you can turn the Arabic on or off, and practise with flashcards. Tap Save on any link to keep it in My list.
- Ask reaches a real person. Community finds circles and events. The sun button switches light and dark.
Your one step this week
Learn what the shahadah means, in your own words.
Start this stepOne small step is enough. A new one arrives each week. Being checked with scholars
Coming up
All events and classesLoading what is on...
About Revert Journeys: our vision, and why this exists
Our vision and mission
What we are here to do, in two sentences.
Our vision
A UK where no one who comes to Islam walks the path alone.
Our mission
To bring knowledge, brotherhood and sisterhood, and steady support together in one place, so every new and returning Muslim has somewhere to turn, long after the shahadah.
Why this exists
Becoming Muslim is celebrated. What comes after is too often missed.
2011
A national study of converts in the UK found that support for new Muslims in mosques is “poor at best and non-existent at worst”.
A minority within a minority: a report on converts to Islam in the UK
Centre of Islamic Studies
Research with male converts in Britain captured isolation and dislocation, and made the case for organisations that focus on converts, because there is not enough support as things stand.
Narratives of Conversion to Islam in Britain: Male Perspectives
Most converts are women, yet the research above looked at men. So we are listening to sisters directly, and their feedback is already shaping this site and the sisters’ space.
The brothers and sisters we have sat with say the same. Welcomed warmly on the day, then left to work it out alone.
The numbers behind this
Source: Faith Matters report by Swansea University researchers, reported January 2011. These are estimates built from census data, and Faith Matters itself called the headline figure an “intellectual guesstimate”. We will update this when newer figures are available.
What is Islam?
A short, honest overview for anyone who is curious. Take it slowly, and stop whenever you like.
Being checked with our scholarsWe follow the structure the Prophet ﷺ himself gave when the angel Jibril asked him about the religion: Islam (what we do), iman (what we believe) and ihsan (how we do it, with excellence). It is in Sahih Muslim, hadith 8.
The one truth
There is one God, who created everything, and He alone deserves worship.
Every prophet called to this same message: “We sent no messenger before you except that We revealed to him: there is no god but Me, so worship Me” (Quran 21:25). Islam is the way of submitting to Him alone: “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Quran 3:19).
We state what Muslims believe plainly and with confidence. For the evidence and the questions people ask, see Go deeper and Questions and doubts.
The short answers
To know Allah and worship Him (Quran 51:56).
“My prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds” (6:162).
Ibn Taymiyyah defined it as everything Allah loves and is pleased with, in words and deeds, inward and outward. So it is a whole life lived for Him, not only ritual.
There is no god but Allah. Only He deserves worship. Everything else in Islam grows from this.
Muhammad, the final messenger and seal of the prophets (33:40).
The heart of it
Islam means willing submission to Allah, the One God who created everything. Muslims believe every human being is born with a natural inclination to recognise their Creator. This is called the fitra.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
Quran 51:56The Prophet ﷺ said every child is born upon the fitra (Sahih al-Bukhari 1385, Sahih Muslim 2658). So for many people, coming to Islam feels less like arriving somewhere new and more like coming home. See also Quran 30:30.
Islam: what we do
The five pillars (Sahih al-Bukhari 8, Sahih Muslim 16).
Declaring there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger.
The five daily prayers.
Giving a set portion of savings to those in need.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan.
Pilgrimage to Makkah, once, for those able.
Iman: what we believe
Six articles of faith (Sahih Muslim 8): belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree.
One, with no partner. Tawheed is the foundation of everything.
Honoured creation who obey Allah.
Revelation sent to the prophets, ending with the Quran.
From Adam to Muhammad ﷺ, all calling to the same message.
We will return to Allah and be answered for what we did.
Nothing happens outside Allah’s knowledge and wisdom.
Ihsan: doing it well
The Prophet ﷺ described ihsan as worshipping Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, knowing that He sees you (Sahih Muslim 8). It is what turns the actions into a relationship.
The Prophet and the Quran
Muhammad ﷺ is the final messenger (Quran 33:40). The Quran is the word of Allah, revealed in stages (Sahih al-Bukhari 4993) and preserved by Him:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian.”
Quran 15:9You do not have to take it all at once
Why we go step by step
When the Prophet ﷺ sent Mu’adh to Yemen, he told him to call people first to the shahadah, then to prayer, then to zakat, step by step (Sahih al-Bukhari 1496, Sahih Muslim 19). He also said: “Make things easy and do not make them hard” (Sahih al-Bukhari 69, Sahih Muslim 1734).
What is our responsibility?
Surah al-Asr is the shortest answer. Loss is the default. The way out is faith, good deeds, and helping one another stay on the truth and be patient.
وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ﴿٣﴾
“By time, indeed mankind is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds and advise each other to truth and advise each other to patience.”
Quran 103:1-3That is why this project exists. Guidance is Allah’s alone: “You do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills” (28:56). Support is our part.
Where next?
This is an introduction, not a full treatment. Anything here that you want explained properly, please ask a scholar through the Ask page.
Help me choose
Four quick questions, then we will point you to the best places to start. Nothing you choose here is stored or sent anywhere.
Your journey
Everyone comes to Islam by a different road, and the road after the shahadah is long. Here is the whole way, stage by stage, with what is ready for you now and what we are still building. We would rather tell you plainly than promise too much.
Why do some of us say “revert”?
Many Muslims say “revert” because Islam teaches that every person is born on the fitrah, a natural state of turning to Allah. Allah says: “So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth: the fitrah of Allah upon which He created people” (Quran 30:30). The Prophet ﷺ said that every child is born on the fitrah (reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). On that view, someone who comes to Islam is returning to it.
You will also hear “convert” and “new Muslim”. Everyone understands all of them. Use whichever word you are comfortable with. You are welcome here either way.
Which road is yours?
You have covered a lot already. What is hardest right now?
Pick the one that sounds like you. Each goes straight to help, and a person is always an option.
Welcome. Where do you want to start?
Many people born into Islam were handed the practice without the reasons. This is a place to find them, or to come back.
Curious Live
You have questions about Islam, and what it means to be Muslim. Ask anything, read something free, or just look around.
Ready to say it Live
Taking your shahadah. Many people like to do it at a masjid with someone beside them, and we can help you find someone.
The first days Live
Start with the heart. The Prophet ﷺ first built iman in people, and the acts of worship came step by step. Get to know who Allah is and what you have said yes to, then learn the prayer one part at a time. The five prayers are an obligation, so the aim is all five, and we will help you reach them, not leave you to carry them alone.
The order of teaching here is being checked with scholars.
The first months Being built
The Quran, the basics, and people to learn with. Our Revert Circle in Manchester is live, a sisters’ space is being shaped with sisters, and we are connecting the groups that already exist.
Your first Ramadan Live
Fasting, prayer at night, and Eid. A fuller Ramadan guide is on its way.
When it gets hard Being checked with scholars
Family, friends, old habits, Fajr, Eid or Christmas alone. These guides are written and are being reviewed with scholars. You do not have to carry any of it by yourself.
Building a life Live
Marriage, Hajj, and the rest of a Muslim life. Take your time.
Giving back Being built
One day you will be the one beside someone else. Mentors, teachers and volunteers go through a short, honest screening first.
Where we are, and where we are going
A plain status, so you can see what is real and what is still being built.
Live now Live
- This site, free to use
- A learning library: prayer, Quran, fasting, Hajj, marriage, duas and a glossary
- Ask us, share your story, and offer to help
- A Revert Circle at Al Furqan, Manchester
- A list of groups across Greater Manchester
Being built In progress
- A sisters’ community, shaped by sisters
- Mentors and buddies, with screening
- Scholar review of the guides
- Checking which circles are running and active
- Links between the groups that already exist
Planned Next
- More Revert Circles in more places
- Scholar question-and-answer sessions
- The Revert Starter Kit
- Giving, once scholars have advised on how to do it properly
Our plan
- Prove it in Manchester. Learn from the circle at Al Furqan: what reverts actually ask for, and what keeps them going.
- Link what already exists. Many masajid and groups already do good work. We list them, check they are active, and send people their way.
- Share the template. Any masjid or community can open a Revert Circle with our help. We ask for nothing in return.
A small, regular gathering of new and returning Muslims, brothers or sisters, hosted by a masjid or community. Someone to learn with, someone to ask, and somewhere to be. It is not a new organisation. It belongs to the masjid that runs it.
We will not leave you after the shahadah
Support is our part of this. These are the check-ins we are building, so no one is left to work it out alone.
A warm welcome, and one thing to do today.
PlannedHow is it going? What is hard? What do you need?
PlannedA conversation with someone further along.
PlannedA buddy for the month, if you would like one.
PlannedWhat do you need from us?
Is there anything you are not getting? Tell us in a few words. If you would like a buddy to walk beside you, tick the box.
Taking your shahada
Becoming Muslim is simple and free, and you can do it anywhere. You do not need to know everything first. If you have questions, ask them before you decide. Nobody will rush you.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The first part says that Allah alone is God, and that worship belongs to Him alone. The second says that Muhammad ﷺ is the messenger He sent, and that we follow his guidance. Say it because you mean it. It is between you and Allah.
How people do it
At a masjid, with someone beside you
Many people choose this, so there is a witness, a welcome, and someone to answer questions. A masjid can often give you a certificate too, which can help later with things like marriage or Hajj paperwork. Find a circle near you.
With us
Email us and we will try to connect you with someone who can sit with you. We are based in Manchester. hubrevert@gmail.com
On your own
You can say it by yourself, anywhere, in your own time. If you do, please tell someone afterwards, so you are not left alone with it.
Common questions
Do I need a witness, or a special person?
You do not need a ceremony or a special person. Many people choose to say it with someone beside them, because it helps to have a witness and a welcome.
Do I have to go to a masjid?
No, but it helps. A masjid gives you people, answers, and somewhere to start learning to pray.
Do I need to know Arabic?
No. Many people repeat the Arabic after someone and then say the meaning in their own language. If you have a particular concern, ask a scholar.
Do I need to know how to pray first?
No. Prayer and everything else are learned afterwards, step by step.
Does it cost anything?
No. Nobody should ever charge you to become Muslim.
What about a bath, called ghusl?
Many scholars recommend a full wash, called ghusl, when you become Muslim. It is a good thing to ask a scholar about when you take your shahada.
Do I have to tell my family straight away?
No. There is no fixed rule. See the guide on telling your family under When it gets hard.
What if I am not sure yet?
That is fine. Take your time, ask your questions first, and talk to someone you trust. We are happy to talk.
After you say it
Learn how to pray
Find your people
Ask anything, any time
Take it one step at a time
Want to read first?
The free New Muslims course starts with what the testimony of faith means. You can also read the Quran in English.
This is general guidance. For anything specific to your situation, please ask a scholar.
Learn the basics
You don’t have to learn it all at once. Pick a topic, then pick one question inside it.
Tips: tick a topic when it clicks. Your ticks and saved links stay on this device and in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us, so if you clear your browser data or switch phone they start again. Tap Save on any link to keep it. The Arabic on/off button and prayer flashcards are inside Prayer. Search the whole site from the Start page.
What do you want to learn today?
All topics
Core belief
Being checked with our scholarsWhere it all starts. Who Allah is, what we believe, and why everything else rests on it.
Purpose and background
We were created to know Allah and worship Him alone: “I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me” (Quran 51:56). You cannot worship someone you do not know. That is why belief comes before every rule, and why the Prophet ﷺ taught belief first in Makkah.
The core answer
- Allah is One. “Say: He is Allah, One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent” (Quran 112:1-4).
- Nothing is like Him. “There is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing” (Quran 42:11).
- Tawheed means Allah alone is our Lord and Creator, Allah alone is worshipped, and His names and attributes belong to Him alone.
- He is near and merciful. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and His mercy is greater than our mistakes.
- Six things we believe: Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree (Sahih Muslim, hadith of Jibril).
Start here
What does the shahadah actually mean?
What do Muslims believe? The six pillars of faith
Names of Allah and His Attributes
A free video series by Ustadh Hisham Abu Yusuf, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Common questions
Why are there 99 names of Allah?
The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah has ninety-nine names, and whoever memorises and understands them enters Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 2736, Sahih Muslim 2677). We learn His names to know Him, to love Him, and to call on Him by them: “To Allah belong the best names, so call on Him by them” (Quran 7:180).
Do I have to understand everything before I pray or practise?
No. Learn the foundation, begin to practise, and keep learning. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear (Quran 2:286). If a question is bothering you, bring it to Questions and doubts or ask a person.
Go deeper
Long series, for when you are ready. Best once you have the basics.
Kitab at-Tawheed
A longer series (44 videos) by Sheikh Mohamed Ali Mowleed, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
The Three Fundamental Principles
A short classic text on the basics of belief. We are choosing a reliable English edition with our scholars before we link one.
God, science and faith
Signposts to other organisations for the bigger questions.
Go deeper: God, science and faith
For the bigger questions. These are signposts to other organisations. We have not written these arguments ourselves, and the list is being checked with scholars. Start with What is Islam? if you are new.
iERA
Articles on God, life and purpose for people who do not yet believe (One Reason), courses for new Muslims, and training for Muslims who want to share Islam with wisdom and good manners.
Sapience Institute
Courses, books, essays and talks on Islamic thought and the questions of our age, plus a mentoring programme (Lighthouse). See each page for what is free.
The Divine Reality, by Hamza Tzortzis
A book on the rational and spiritual foundations of Islam, written for people questioning God and faith. iERA lists it at no charge. When we checked it showed as out of stock, so look at their page for availability.
Islam and knowledge
Islam has always honoured learning. The first word revealed was “Read” (Quran 96:1-5), and the Quran asks, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” (39:9). The point is not pride. It is that faith and learning belong together.
House of Wisdom exhibition, Manchester
At the British Muslim Heritage Centre, Whalley Range. It shows Muslim contributions to civilisation, with rare artefacts. The centre says it is open to the public five days a week, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Please call 0161 881 8062 to check the days.
Al-Khwarizmi: algebra
Credited with introducing the concepts of algebra to European mathematics. The words “algebra” and “algorithm” come from his name and book title.
Ibn al-Haytham: optics and vision
Credited with major contributions to the foundations of optics, including how we see.
Ibn an-Nafis: blood through the lungs
Credited with identifying the lung route of blood flow, from the right side of the heart to the left.
Ibn Sina (Avicenna): the Canon of Medicine
His major medical work, al-Qanun fi al-Tibb.
Al-Jazari: engineering and automata
A medieval inventor, active around 1206, known for water-powered automata.
Historians debate exactly who first did what, so we link to encyclopaedia entries and to the exhibition itself, and we claim no more than they do. More items will be added only with a named source. Being checked with scholars.
Prayer
Being checked with our scholarsWhy we pray, how it works, and what to do when it is hard. Take it one step at a time.
Purpose and background
Prayer is how we live out why we were created. “Establish prayer for My remembrance” (Quran 20:14). Five times a day we stop and return to Allah, so the whole day is wrapped in remembrance of Him. It is also the first thing we will be asked about on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The first action for which a servant will be held accountable is his prayer. If it is complete, he has succeeded; if it is defective, he has failed” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 413, graded hasan). The Quran adds that “prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing” (Quran 29:45).
It was given to the Prophet ﷺ on the night of the Isra and Mi’raj, when he was taken up to the heavens. The prayers were first fifty, and through Allah’s mercy were reduced to five, with the reward of fifty (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). It is a gift given directly, not through an angel.
The core answer: five prayers, every day
- Fajr: dawn, before sunrise, 2 rakat. Dhuhr: after the sun passes its peak, 4. Asr: mid to late afternoon, 4. Maghrib: just after sunset, 3. Isha: night, after twilight ends, 4. That is 17 in total. These are the fard (obligatory) rakat. Some prayers also have extra sunnah rakat, and the schools of fiqh differ on a few details. That is for later.
- In the first two rakat of every prayer you recite Al-Fatiha and a short surah. In the third and fourth, Al-Fatiha only.
- Fajr, Maghrib and Isha are recited aloud in the first two rakat. Dhuhr and Asr are silent.
- Before praying: make wudu, have clean clothes and a clean place, be covered, face the Kaaba, and wait until the time has begun.
- Extra prayers (the sunnah prayers, nawafil and tahajjud) are a gift for later. For now, the five obligatory prayers are the anchor.
How to
Why do we make wudu, and how?
How do I pray?
Course: learn to pray, step by step
What is ghusl, and when is it needed?
What do I say, and what does it mean?
When are the prayer times where I live?
Walk through the prayer
What is said, what it means, where it comes from, and what it teaches. Read it once, then keep it nearby the first few times you pray.
The Quran text comes from Quran.com. The wording of the other parts was compared with Sunnah.com where we could. All of it is still to be reviewed by our scholars.
1. Niyyah: intention
Silent, in the heart. No spoken formula is required.
Source. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Actions are judged by intentions” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). It is simply knowing, in your mind, which prayer you are standing for.
Meaning. This is the line between movement and worship. Without intention, standing, bowing and prostrating are just exercise. The intention is what makes it salah.
2. Takbir: opening the prayer
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar
“Allah is the Greatest.”
Source. Called Takbirat al-Ihram, the “prohibiting takbir”, because from here until the end of the prayer, talking, eating and looking around are not allowed. It is reported across Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim as how the Prophet ﷺ began every prayer.
Meaning. You declare, before anything else, that whatever you bring into this prayer, your day, your worries, your to-do list, is smaller than the One you stand before.
3. Qiyam: standing, and the opening du’a
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta’ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghairuk
“Glory to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and none is worthy of worship but You.”
Source. Reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri in Sunan Abi Dawud (775) and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi. The Abu Dawud report is about the Prophet’s ﷺ night prayer, and scholars also teach this opening for the obligatory prayers. Our scholars will confirm the wording.
Meaning. Before you recite a verse, you acknowledge who you are speaking to. Praise first, then request.
4. Recitation: Al-Fatiha, then a surah
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim…
Surah Al-Fatiha (“The Opening”), the seven verses that open the Quran, then a second, shorter surah. Read and listen on Quran.com.
Source. The Prophet ﷺ said, “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Al-Fatiha” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). It is the one recitation that makes a rakah valid.
Meaning. Al-Fatiha is a conversation. According to a hadith qudsi, Allah responds to each line as you say it, before you ask for guidance in the last verse. It is the heart of each rakah.
5. Ruku: bowing
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana Rabbiyal ‘Adheem (3 times)
“Glory to my Lord, the Most Great.” Back flat, hands resting on the knees.
Source. Hudhayfah reported the Prophet ﷺ saying this in his bowing (Sahih Muslim 772). It echoes Quran 56:74, “So glorify the name of your Lord, the Most Great”. A report in Sunan Abi Dawud (869) says he told the Companions to use that verse in ruku, but Al-Albani graded that report weak, so we cite the verse for context only.
Meaning. The words of bowing echo a verse of the Quran. The link between the Quran and the prayer is close, not only symbolic.
6. Rising from ruku
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal hamd
“Allah hears the one who praises Him. Our Lord, all praise is for You.” Some reports add “wa”: Rabbana wa lakal hamd. Both are authentic.
Source. Reported by Abu Hurairah in Sahih al-Bukhari (789) and Sahih Muslim as the Prophet’s ﷺ own practice on rising from bowing.
Meaning. A brief upright pause, acknowledging that Allah has heard your praise, before the most humble posture of the prayer.
7. Sujood: prostration
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subhana Rabbiyal A’la (3 times)
“Glory to my Lord, the Most High.” Forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground. Done twice in every rakah.
Source. Hudhayfah reported the wording (Sahih Muslim 772), which echoes Quran 87:1, “Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High”. The Prophet ﷺ also said, “The closest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so increase your supplication in that state” (Sahih Muslim 482).
Meaning. This is the moment in your day when you are closest to Allah. That is why it is the recommended place to make personal dua, in whatever language you need.
8. Sitting between the two sujood
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbighfirli, Rabbighfirli
“My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me.” Said twice.
Source. Reported by Hudhayfah in Sunan Abi Dawud (874), graded sahih by Al-Albani. Ibn Abbas reports a longer version, “Allahummaghfir li warhamni…”, in Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi.
Meaning. A brief seated breath between two acts of total submission, to simply ask forgiveness.
9. Tashahhud: at-Tahiyyat
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, as-salamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh
“All greetings, blessings and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”
Source. Taught by the Prophet ﷺ to his Companions for every prayer. Reported from Ibn Mas’ud in Sahih al-Bukhari (831) and Sahih Muslim.
Meaning. Sat after the second rakah, and again at the end. It is your shahadah again, mid-prayer, renewed. The index finger is raised at “la ilaha illallah”, pointing to Allah’s oneness.
10. Durood: blessings on the Prophet
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid
“O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.”
Source. Ka’b ibn Ujrah asked the Prophet ﷺ how to send salawat upon him. This is his answer (Sahih al-Bukhari 3370, Sahih Muslim).
Meaning. Recited only in the final sitting. It links you to the Prophet and, through him, to Ibrahim, a chain of prophets all conveying the same message.
11. Closing du’a
A short personal or Prophetic supplication before ending the prayer.
Meaning. The one place in the fixed structure where you can freely ask, in Arabic if you know it, or in your own words. Salah is structured, but not rigid at every point.
12. Salam: closing the prayer
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
“Peace and Allah’s mercy be upon you.” Turn the head to the right, then the left.
Source. Reported from Ibn Mas’ud in Sunan Abi Dawud (996), graded sahih by Al-Albani, and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, as the standard closing of every prayer.
Meaning. Classical scholars explain it as greeting the two recording angels, and as your return to the world, carrying the peace of the prayer with you.
This covers the structure and the meaning of each part. It does not yet cover the finer fiqh: what is fard, wajib or sunnah, what invalidates a prayer, and where the schools of thought differ. Those differences are mostly about method, not meaning, and we will add them gradually, so it never feels like too much at once.
Why 2, 4, 4, 3 and 4 rakat?
The texts do not give a reason for the numbers, and we do not invent one. We pray them because Allah and His Messenger taught them: “It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any option in their decision” (Quran 33:36). Some parts of worship come with a wisdom we are told, and some we follow because they were commanded: “We hear and we obey” (Quran 2:285).
Why do we make wudu?
Because we are about to stand before Allah. Allah “loves those who purify themselves” (Quran 2:222), and the Prophet ﷺ said that cleanliness is half of faith (Sahih Muslim). Wudu also washes away sins as the water falls (Sahih Muslim). It is cleanliness of the body that prepares the heart.
Common struggles
I missed a prayer. What do I do?
The Prophet ﷺ said: whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, its atonement is to pray it when he remembers (Sahih al-Bukhari 597, Sahih Muslim 684). Pray it as soon as you can, in order, and then carry on. Do not give up the rest of the day because one was missed.
Prayers from before you took your shahada are not made up. The scholars say Islam wipes away what came before. Ask a scholar about anything specific.
I have not learned the words yet
Keep praying with what you know and keep learning. A man once told the Prophet ﷺ that he could not learn the Quran, and asked for something to say instead. He taught him: Subhan Allah, walhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, wallahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (Sunan Abi Dawud). Learn Al-Fatiha and a short surah first, then add more. Your anchor or a brother at the masjid can sit with you.
How many rakat is each prayer, and which are loud?
Fajr 2 (loud), Dhuhr 4 (silent), Asr 4 (silent), Maghrib 3 (first two loud), Isha 4 (first two loud). See the core answer above.
I forgot how many rakat I prayed
It happens to everyone. There is a prostration of forgetfulness (sujood as-sahw) for this. Ask a teacher to show you in person, once, so it stays with you.
I am tired, or I keep sleeping through Fajr
This is the most common struggle, and it is a habit to build, not a verdict on your faith. The Prophet ﷺ said the devil ties three knots on the back of your head while you sleep; remembering Allah, making wudu and praying each undo one (Sahih al-Bukhari 1142, Sahih Muslim 776). See Unlearning and growing for a plan.
Prayer feels empty or like a chore
That is normal and it is not the end. Slow down, understand what you are saying, and ask Allah for help with it. See “Enjoy Your Prayer” below. The Prophet ﷺ said the coolness of his eyes was placed in prayer (Sunan an-Nasa’i, Musnad Ahmad).
Can I pray at work or in public?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said that the earth has been made a place of prayer for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 335, Sahih Muslim 521). Any clean place will do. Ask for a quiet room or corner. Most employers say yes when asked politely.
Go deeper
Long-term series, for when you are ready.
Fajr Reflections
Short talks to help you wake for Fajr and love it. From Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Enjoy Your Prayer
A 21 episode podcast series by Ali Hammuda, for when prayer feels dry or like a chore.
Zakat and giving
Being checked with our scholarsWhy Islam makes giving a pillar, and how it works.
Purpose and background
Everything we own is a trust from Allah: “Spend from that in which He has made you successors” (Quran 57:7). Zakat purifies the wealth and the giver (Quran 9:103). It also keeps wealth moving through society, “so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich” (Quran 59:7). Picture a community in which every eligible person gave it. Need would be met, and no one would have to ask.
The Prophet ﷺ said that charity does not decrease wealth (Sahih Muslim 2588). It is one of the five pillars (Sahih al-Bukhari 8).
The core answer
- Who gives: a Muslim whose savings (cash, gold, silver, investments, trade stock) stay above a set threshold, the nisab, for a full lunar year.
- How much: 2.5% of that wealth. It is not on your income or your home. It is on what you have saved.
- When: once a year. Many people choose Ramadan.
- Who receives it: eight groups named in Quran 9:60, including the poor and the needy.
- If you are new: you only give it once your savings pass the nisab and a year has passed. Nothing is owed backwards from before you were Muslim.
What is sadaqah, and how is it different?
Zakat is the fixed, obligatory share. Sadaqah is voluntary, any amount, any time. “Every good deed is charity” (Sahih Muslim 1005), including a kind word and a smile. You can give sadaqah with no savings at all.
How do I work out my zakat?
The nisab is set by the value of gold (about 85g), and some scholars use silver. The figure changes with prices, so use a reliable zakat calculator or ask a scholar. We will add a trusted calculator here once it is reviewed.
What is the example of the Prophet?
He ﷺ was the most generous of people, and most generous in Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 6). He taught that giving makes wealth blessed, and he lived it.
Go deeper
What is zakat, and who gives it?
Zakat, sadaqah and voluntary giving
Fasting and Ramadan
Being checked with our scholarsWhy we fast, what Ramadan is, and how to go into your first one prepared.
Purpose and background
“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa” (Quran 2:183). Taqwa is awareness of Allah. Hunger teaches us self-restraint and gratitude, and lets us feel what people who go without feel every day.
Ramadan is the month the Quran was revealed (Quran 2:185). The Prophet ﷺ said that when it comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of the Fire are closed and the devils are chained (Sahih al-Bukhari 1899, Sahih Muslim 1079). Whoever fasts it with faith and hope for reward has their past sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 38, Sahih Muslim 760). Fasting is for Allah alone, and He gives its reward Himself (Sahih al-Bukhari 1904, Sahih Muslim 1151).
The core answer
- What: from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), no food, no drink and no marital relations. Keep your tongue and your temper in check as well.
- Suhoor: eat before dawn. “In suhoor there is blessing” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923, Sahih Muslim 1095).
- Iftar: break your fast at sunset. The Prophet ﷺ broke it with dates and water (Sunan Abi Dawud).
- Who is excused: the sick, travellers, women with their cycle, and the very old. Make up the days later where you can (Quran 2:184-185).
- The nights: taraweeh prayers, extra worship, and Laylat al-Qadr, better than a thousand months (Quran 97:3), in the last ten nights.
- When: Ramadan 2027 is expected in early February. The start is confirmed by the moon sighting.
How do I get through my first Ramadan?
Take it a day at a time. Eat a proper suhoor, drink plenty between iftar and Fajr, and pace yourself. Tell your workplace early. Come to the masjid for iftar so you are not breaking your fast alone. If you slip or miss a day, you make it up and carry on. Ask us for a buddy: Talk to a person.
What do I do if I cannot fast?
If you are ill or travelling, the Quran gives you a way: “then an equal number of other days” (Quran 2:184). If it is a long-term condition, ask a scholar about fidyah. Do not force yourself to harm your health.
What is special about this month?
The Quran, the nights, giving, and community. It is also a good moment to leave a habit, because Ramadan carries you. See Unlearning and growing.
Go deeper
Your first Ramadan
How fasting works, suhoor and iftar
Unlearning and growing
Being checked with our scholarsBecoming Muslim means learning new things, and letting go of old ones. We do not pretend it is easy, and we do not pretend nothing needs to change.
Purpose and background
Islam does not say “you are Muslim now, so everything is fine as it is.” Some things you learn. Some things you unlearn. Allah gives us the means to do it: “He has succeeded who purifies it [the soul], and he has failed who instils it with corruption” (Quran 91:9-10). Allah also does not ask the impossible: “Fear Allah as much as you are able” (Quran 64:16). The Prophet ﷺ said the religion is easy, and no one makes it harder on himself without it overcoming him, so be steady and moderate (Sahih al-Bukhari 39).
Gradual is how you walk. It is not where you are headed. Iman first, then habits follow. Your old friends are not cut off, and you are not asked to become someone else. You are asked to move towards Allah, one step at a time.
How we help: three steps, use as many as you need
- 1. A reminder. Sometimes motivation is all you need. Read the short reminder below and get back up.
- 2. A plan. If you need more than a reminder, use the practical steps and the free resources.
- 3. A person. If it still has a hold, do not carry it alone. Talk to someone.
Pick the one you are facing
Laziness, and missing prayers
Why it matters
Prayer is the line between the Muslim and everything else in the day. Laziness is a human habit, not a sin of character, and it is beaten by routine, not by feeling like it.
A reminder, for right now
The Prophet ﷺ said the devil ties three knots on your head as you sleep. Remember Allah and one knot comes undone. Make wudu and another. Pray and the last one, and you rise bright and light (Sahih al-Bukhari 1142, Sahih Muslim 776).
A plan
Set an alarm and put it across the room. Sleep earlier. Make wudu the moment you wake. Pray Fajr first, think later. Pray with a brother or at the masjid when you can. The five prayers are obligatory, so the aim is all five. If you are rebuilding, secure the one you miss most with an alarm and a person, and keep going until all five are in place. Ask for help early.
If it still has a hold on you
Talk to a real person. Ask us and tell us only what you want to. A brother or sister will reply, and nothing you say shocks us.
Try Fajr Reflections.
Drinking, and pub culture
Why it matters
Alcohol is forbidden because it clouds the mind, breeds enmity, and keeps a person from remembering Allah and from prayer (Quran 5:90-91). This one is not optional. It is also one many people find hard, because it is tied to friends, work and habit.
A reminder, for right now
The path is tawbah: stop, feel regret, and resolve not to return. “Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful” (Quran 9:104). Each day is a new start.
A plan
You do not have to cut off your friends. Tell them plainly that you are Muslim now and no longer drink. Most people respect it. Suggest meeting somewhere else: food, a walk, the gym. Do not go where the temptation is greatest while you are still finding your feet. Fill the evening with something else.
If it still has a hold on you
If you drink heavily or find that you cannot stop, that can be dependency, and it is a medical matter as well as a spiritual one. Speak to your GP. Free support: NHS Better Health: drink less, and Alcoholics Anonymous.
Talk to a real person. Ask us and tell us only what you want to. A brother or sister will reply, and nothing you say shocks us.
Smoking and vaping
Why it matters
Allah has made lawful the good things and forbidden what is harmful (Quran 7:157), and told us not to throw ourselves into destruction (Quran 2:195). Many contemporary scholars rule smoking impermissible because of its proven harm. Our scholars will confirm the wording here.
A reminder, for right now
Your body is a trust from Allah. Quitting is an act of worship, because you are looking after what He gave you.
A plan
Pick a quit date. Ramadan is a natural time, because you are already abstaining all day. Tell someone so they hold you to it. Use free support rather than willpower alone.
If it still has a hold on you
Free help: NHS Better Health: quit smoking.
Talk to a real person. Ask us and tell us only what you want to. A brother or sister will reply, and nothing you say shocks us.
Pornography, and desire
Why it matters
Allah commands both believing men and believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity (Quran 24:30-31). This is for protection, not to shame anyone. Pornography is a habit that grows in secret, and secrecy is what keeps people stuck.
A reminder, for right now
“Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins” (Quran 39:53). Do not let shame become the reason you stay. Return, again and again if you must.
A plan
Make it harder to reach: filters, delete apps, keep your phone out of the bedroom. Do not be alone with a screen late at night. When the urge comes, get up, make wudu and pray two rakat, or go outside. Fill the time with something else. The Prophet ﷺ advised young men who could not yet marry to fast, as a shield (Sahih al-Bukhari 5066, Sahih Muslim 1400).
If it still has a hold on you
If it has become compulsive, it can need professional help as well as faith. Your GP can refer you. We are finding Muslim-specific support we can stand behind, and we will add it here once it is reviewed.
Talk to a real person. Ask us and tell us only what you want to. A brother or sister will reply, and nothing you say shocks us.
Old friends and old environments
Why it matters
The Prophet ﷺ said a person is on the religion of his close friend, so look carefully at who you take as a friend (Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi). He also compared good company to a perfume seller and bad company to a blacksmith (Sahih al-Bukhari 2101, Sahih Muslim 2628).
A reminder, for right now
You do not have to cut off the people who were good to you. Keep the ties, and change what you do together.
A plan
Build a second circle alongside the first. Find a circle, join a class, and find a buddy. The new circle makes the old habits easier to let go of.
If it still has a hold on you
Talk to a real person. Ask us and tell us only what you want to. A brother or sister will reply, and nothing you say shocks us.
What we eat: halal food
Why it matters
Allah tells us to eat what is lawful and good (Quran 2:168). The Quran names what is forbidden: carrion, blood, pork, and meat dedicated to anything other than Allah (Quran 5:3). Alcohol is forbidden too.
A reminder, for right now
You do not have to be perfect on day one. Start with what you know: no pork, no alcohol.
A plan
Look for halal-certified meat, or choose fish, vegetarian or vegan options when unsure. Check labels for gelatine, alcohol and animal rennet. On the meat of the People of the Book (Quran 5:5), scholars differ, so ask a scholar for your own situation.
If it still has a hold on you
Not sure about a product or a restaurant? Ask us.
You are not alone in this
Everyone has something. The aim is to move towards Allah, one step at a time, with people beside you. Talk to a person · When it gets hard
Hajj
Being checked with our scholarsThe pilgrimage to Makkah. It comes much later for most people, but it helps to know what it is.
Purpose and background
“Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by all who are able” (Quran 3:97). It was first called by Ibrahim and Isma’il, who built the Kaaba (Quran 22:27). It brings millions of Muslims of every race, language and background together in the same clothing, doing the same acts. It is a rehearsal for the Day we all stand before Allah.
The core answer
- Obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are able, in health and in means. If you cannot afford it, it is not required of you.
- When: the days of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year. Umrah, the shorter visit, can be done at other times.
- The Day of Arafah (9 Dhul Hijjah) is the heart of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ said “Hajj is Arafah” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud). There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire (Sahih Muslim 1348).
- If you are not on Hajj: fasting the Day of Arafah expiates the sins of the year before and the year after (Sahih Muslim 1162).
Go deeper
What is Hajj, and what is Umrah?
The Hajj of the Prophet ﷺ
An explanation of the hadith of Jabir, by Sh. Dr. Sajid Umar, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Special days
Being checked with our scholarsThe two Eids and the best days of the year. What each one is, and what we do.
Purpose and background
Islam gives the year a rhythm: days of joy, days of remembrance, days of worship. Learning why each one exists keeps us from copying culture and shows us the Sunnah.
The two Eids
There are two: Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, on 10 Dhul Hijjah. Before the Eid prayer: ghusl, your best clothes, and the takbir. Eid al-Fitr also has zakat al-fitr, a small charity given before the prayer so that everyone can celebrate (Sahih al-Bukhari 1503, Sahih Muslim 984). Eid al-Adha remembers Ibrahim’s obedience, when Allah ransomed his son with a sacrifice (Quran 37:102-107), and many Muslims give a qurbani.
Eid is not a day to be alone. If you have nowhere to go, tell us. Our aim is that nobody eats alone.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah
The Prophet ﷺ said that there are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days (Sahih al-Bukhari 969). Fast, pray, give and remember Allah more.
For later: Muharram and Ashura
This is for later. You do not need it to begin.
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic year. The Prophet ﷺ said that the best fasting after Ramadan is Allah’s month, Muharram (Sahih Muslim 1163). He fasted the 10th, Ashura, the day Allah saved Musa and his people (Sahih al-Bukhari 2004, Sahih Muslim 1130), and encouraged fasting a day with it.
What is the Sunnah and what is culture?
Many Muslim families celebrate in ways that come from their culture, not from the Prophet ﷺ. You do not have to copy any of it. Learn what the Prophet did, enjoy the day, and treat others’ customs with respect.
Marriage
Being checked with our scholarsWhy Islam encourages marriage, what it asks of both people, and how to approach it with patience.
Purpose and background
“Among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves, that you may find tranquillity in them, and He placed between you love and mercy” (Quran 30:21). Marriage protects chastity and lineage, and it gives a home in which the next generation grows up in faith. The Prophet ﷺ told those who can afford it to marry, for it lowers the gaze and protects chastity (Sahih al-Bukhari 5066, Sahih Muslim 1400).
The core answer
- The marriage contract (nikah): the consent of both, a guardian (wali) for the bride, a mahr (gift) from the groom, witnesses, and an announcement.
- Rights and responsibilities: each has rights over the other, and they are to be treated with kindness. “The best of you are the best to their wives” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah). Quran 2:228 and 4:19 speak of fair treatment.
- In the UK: a nikah on its own may not be recognised in law. Many couples also register a civil marriage. Check the current rules before you marry.
- Outside marriage: Islam does not permit intimate relationships outside marriage (Quran 17:32). If you are already in a relationship, talk to a scholar privately and without fear.
Why this protects chastity and lineage
Marriage makes the bond clear, the rights known and the children’s lineage protected. Islam asks us to guard our chastity and lower our gaze, and it gives marriage as the lawful and honourable way (Quran 24:30-33).
I want to marry, or I am marrying because of someone
Take your time. “There is no compulsion in religion” (Quran 2:256), and nobody should marry to be accepted. Learn your faith, and know your own mind. Let a scholar or an older brother or sister help you.
Reverts and marriage: being turned down
This is a real pain point, and we do not hide it. Reverts can be turned down by families for cultural reasons that are not from Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: if someone comes to you whose religion and character you are pleased with, marry him (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi). “The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous” (Quran 49:13). See When it gets hard.
Family difficulties
Many families struggle with a conversion. Allah says: even if they strive to make you ascribe partners to Him, do not obey them in that, but “keep them company in this world with kindness” (Quran 31:15). Asma’ asked the Prophet ﷺ about her mother, who was not Muslim, and he told her to keep the ties (Sahih al-Bukhari 2620). You may want to wait until you are ready before you tell your family, and that is your decision. Ask us for support.
Go deeper
Fiqh of Marriage
A free video series by Sheikh Mostafa Shaybani, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Married Ever After, by Ali Hammuda
A free series on the Quranic principles of marriage, with Prophetic examples and real-life advice. Search for the series on his channel and podcasts. (There is also a paid book of the same name, which we do not need you to buy.)
Marriage, and being accepted
What to do when you are seen as a risk, and how to avoid rushing.
Quran
Being checked with our scholarsThe words of Allah. You can start reading in English today and learn Arabic step by step.
Purpose and background
The Quran is the speech of Allah, sent down as guidance for all people (Quran 2:185). It is the answer to why we exist and how to live. The Prophet ﷺ said: the best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it (Sahih al-Bukhari 5027). It is also a mercy and a healing for the hearts.
The core answer
- Start small. Five minutes a day is enough. Read the meaning in English first, then listen to the Arabic.
- Begin with Al-Fatiha, Al-Ikhlas, then the short surahs at the end. They are the ones you will use in prayer.
- If Arabic is hard, you are rewarded for struggling. The one who recites with difficulty has two rewards (Sahih al-Bukhari 4937, Sahih Muslim 798).
- Read it with understanding. Use a tafsir (explanation) a few verses at a time.
Your path with the Quran
Many people who come to Islam want to read the Quran in Arabic. You can. Begin at the first step and go at your own pace. Listening and reading the English can happen alongside.
- Learn the letters and their soundsThe Arabic alphabet, said out loud. A class or a teacher makes this much easier. Our own guide is coming soon.
- Learn to join them and read slowlyBeginner reading methods such as the Qaidah Nooraniyyah are taught in many masajid, to adults as well as children.
- Learn the rules of recitation, tajweed, graduallyThis is best learnt with a teacher who can hear you. Do not wait until it is perfect before you read.
- Read the meaningUse a translation alongside the Arabic, a few verses at a time (see the translations below).
- Go into tafsirThe explanation of the Quran. Start small, and see the tafsir note below.
Free Quran classes near you
We are asking local masajid which free beginner classes for adults exist, and we will list what we find. Until then, ask at your own masjid, or ask us and we will say honestly what we know. You can start from the very beginning, and there is no shame in that.
Arabic and Quran reading: video playlists
Free beginner playlists for learning to read. Being chosen.
How to
Read and listen, with translation
The Clear Quran, a modern English translation
By Dr Mustafa Khattab, grouped by theme and written in clear modern English. Read it online, free. Some extras on that site need a subscription.
Saheeh International translation
A widely used English translation, produced by three women who came to Islam. Look for it in the translation list on Quran.com.
Tafsir, the explanation of the Quran
Tafsir Ibn Kathir is one of the best known classical explanations. On Quran.com, open any verse and look for the Tafsir option. Start small, a few verses at a time.
How do I start reading the Quran?
Learning to read Arabic from the letters
Go deeper
Long-term series.
In the Company of the Quran
A free video series by Sheikh Mostafa Shaybani, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
The Parables of the Quran
Sheikh Mostafa Shaybani, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Secrets of the Surahs
Short talks on the meaning of the surahs, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
The Prophet
Being checked with our scholarsGet to know the life of the Prophet ﷺ, the best example to follow and to love.
Purpose and background
Allah says: “You have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example” (Quran 33:21), and that he was of “a great moral character” (Quran 68:4). The Prophet ﷺ said none of us truly believes until he is more beloved to us than our parents, our children and all people (Sahih al-Bukhari 15, Sahih Muslim 44). You cannot love someone you do not know. That is why we learn his life.
The core answer
- Born in Makkah around 570 CE. At forty, the angel Jibril brought the first revelation (Quran 96:1-5, Sahih al-Bukhari 3).
- Thirteen years of calling in Makkah, with patience under persecution. Then the Hijrah to Madinah in 622 CE, where the first community was built.
- He passed away in 632 CE, having delivered the message. The way of life he taught is still alive.
- Start with his character, because that is what drew people to him.
Moments in his life
The Night Journey (Isra and Mi’raj)
The Night Journey: Allah took the Prophet ﷺ from Makkah to Jerusalem and then up through the heavens (Quran 17:1, 53:1-18). It is when the five daily prayers were given. We learn from it that prayer is a gift from Allah. Scholars note that the date is not firmly established, so we do not fix an observance on it. Our scholars will confirm this.
How to
The life of the Prophet ﷺ
The Seerah podcast series by Yasir Qadhi.
The Sealed Nectar (Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum)
A widely used book on the Prophet’s life by Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri. We are choosing a reliable free edition with our scholars before we link one.
What do all these Arabic words mean?
Go deeper
Prophetic Character
A free video series by Ustadh Hisham Abu Yusuf on the character of the Prophet ﷺ, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
The Four Caliphs
Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), by Sheikh Mohamed Ali Mowleed, from Al Furqan Islamic Centre’s channel.
Dua
Dua is simply speaking to Allah. You can do it in any language, in your own words, at any time. Here are a few short ones to begin with.
Purpose and background
Dua is worship. “Your Lord says: Call upon Me and I will respond to you” (Quran 40:60). “When My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls on Me” (Quran 2:186). The Prophet ﷺ said that dua is worship (Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi). You pray five times a day, and dua is how you talk to Allah in between, about everything.
The core answer
- Speak to Allah in any language, in your own words, at any time.
- Begin by praising Allah and sending peace on the Prophet ﷺ, then ask, with certainty that He hears you.
- Best times: the last third of the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145, Sahih Muslim 758), in sujood, when the servant is closest to his Lord (Sahih Muslim 482), and between the adhan and the iqamah.
- There is a dua for nearly everything, taught by the Prophet ﷺ: morning and evening, eating, sleeping, travelling. Learn them one at a time.
Daily life (6)
Before eating
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Bismillah
In the name of Allah.
Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
After eating
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi at’amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwah
All praise is for Allah, who fed me this and provided it for me, with no power or strength from myself.
Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi
When you wake up
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur
All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the return.
Sahih al-Bukhari
Before you sleep
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.
Sahih al-Bukhari
Leaving the house
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.
Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi
Entering the masjid
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Allahummaftah li abwaba rahmatik
O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.
Sahih Muslim
For your heart and your learning (2)
For steadfastness
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
Ya muqallibal-qulub, thabbit qalbi ‘ala dinik
O Turner of hearts, keep my heart firm on Your religion.
Jami’ at-Tirmidhi
For knowledge
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Rabbi zidni ‘ilma
My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Quran 20:114
When things are hard (2)
When things are hard
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal-wakil
Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.
Quran 3:173
When something feels too difficult
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa anta taj’alul-hazna idha shi’ta sahla
O Allah, nothing is easy except what You make easy, and You can make the difficult easy if You will.
Ibn Hibban. Source and grading being confirmed with a scholar.
More duas are being added, including morning and evening adhkar. Learn one at a time, and use them in your own words too. For hundreds more, with audio, many people use the free Dhikr & Dua app, listed under Apps and tools.
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Glossary
The Arabic words you will hear every day, in plain English. Type a word to find it.
No matching word yet. Email us and we will add it.
Belief
Prayer
Quran and knowledge
Giving, fasting and pilgrimage
Marriage
Everyday words
Apps and tools
A short list of things people in our community have used. This is not an endorsement, and we will keep adding to it and filtering it. Please read the note at the bottom.
Dhikr & Dua
500+ duas and dhikr, each with translation, transliteration and audio. Free, and from the Life With Allah initiative of Ummah Welfare Trust. iPhone link here, or search the name on Android.
Namaz App: Learn Salah Prayer
Listen to the prayer in Arabic, with transliteration and illustrations, and slow it down to learn. Free, with optional purchases. Its own page says it is a companion, not enough on its own, and that its content follows the Hanafi school. Learning with a teacher is best.
Arabic Unlocked: Learn Arabic
Step-by-step lessons from the letters up, with Quranic words. Free to start, with paid premium plans.
Revealed: a Quran Study App
Verse-by-verse commentary by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, with word-by-word study. From Bayyinah, and included with a Bayyinah TV membership. Check the price and the privacy settings before you sign up. iPhone link here.
Quran.com
Read and listen to the Quran, with translation, in your browser.
New Muslims eLearning
A free course that works through the basics step by step.
A few things to keep in mind. Check religious content against reliable sources, and ask a scholar if something seems off. Confirm prayer times with your local masjid. Some apps have adverts or paid upgrades, and some ask for your location, so look at the settings before you agree. If you know a good tool, or a book or resource that helped you, email us and we will consider adding it.
Free books
Many good starter books are already free, from the people who publish them. We link to the publishers directly, so you always get the real copy.
The Clear Quran
A modern English translation by Dr Mustafa Khattab. Read it online for free.
Fortress of the Muslim
A small book of duas from the Quran and Sunnah, for every part of the day, by Sa’id al-Qahtani. Free PDF from IslamHouse.
Revert Starter Kit
Our own kit for the first weeks: a Quran translation, a short seerah, a first salah guide and a prayer mat. Being put together with our scholars.
Life After Life?
A short booklet from IERA about life’s purpose and what comes after. Free, and you can order a printed copy.
Making Sense of God
A free IERA booklet on why belief in God makes sense. It comes in IERA’s free Dawah gift box, listed below.
Free Dawah gift box from IERA
Five free books: The Purple Qur’an, Love of God, Making Sense of God, The Last Messenger and Life After Life.
Welcome gift box for new Muslims
A free box from IERA for people who have recently taken their shahadah, with a Quran, duas, a prayer guide, the 99 names of Allah and a biography of the Prophet ﷺ. See the page for how to request one.
The Last Messenger
A free IERA e-book on the life of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Eternal Challenge
A free IERA e-book.
The Forbidden Prophecies
A free IERA e-book.
Words of Mercy
A free IERA e-book.
My First Prayer Book, My Wudu Book and My Du’a Book
Simple illustrated guides from Darussalam, which we keep on the shelf at the masjid.
40 Hadith on Ramadhan
A short collection, from the Islamic Dawah Center International.
Books on our shelf at Al Furqan are free to take. We are still checking which books to recommend with our scholars, so this list will change. If a book helped you, tell us and we will consider adding it.
Want it all in one free course?
New Muslims eLearning works through the basics step by step, at your own pace.
Sisters’ space
For sisters who are new to Islam, have been Muslim a while, or were born Muslim. This space is being built with sisters, not for them from a distance.
Being built with sisters and checked with a female scholarWhat we are building
Help us build it
What would you want here? What do you wish someone had told you? Tell us, and say if you would like a sister to reply. We will try, and we will tell you honestly if we cannot yet.
Ask us anything
No question is too small. Tell us where you are and what you need, and we’ll point you to the right person.
Prefer Instagram? Send us a DM at @revertjourneysuk. No phone number needed.
Tell us where you’re at
Write whatever is on your mind. It goes straight to the team, and a real person will get back to you.
Doubts and hard questions
Having questions does not make you a bad Muslim, or a bad seeker. The Quran tells us to ask:
“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.”
Quran 16:43Allah looks at the heart and the effort (Sahih Muslim 2564), and the Prophet ﷺ was always patient with sincere questions. Bring yours here and do not sit alone with it.
We do not argue people into faith on this site. We point you to the Quran, authentic hadith and people of knowledge. This section is being built with our scholars.
Common questions
Short, honest answers. For anything about your own situation, please ask a scholar.
Do I have to change everything straight away?
No. Change comes gradually, and belief comes first. The Quran itself was revealed in stages. Nobody expects your whole life to flip overnight, and pressure usually works against you.
Do I need to learn Arabic first?
No. Many Muslims pray for years while still learning Arabic. Start with what you can, use a transliteration guide, and build up slowly.
Do I need to know how to pray before I take my shahadah?
No. The shahadah comes first, and prayer and the rest are learned along the way. Nobody is expected to arrive knowing everything.
Do I have to cut off my old friends?
Not automatically. Your friends are still your friends. Over time you will work out what to keep and what to change, with guidance, at your own pace.
When should I tell my family?
There is no fixed rule. It depends on your situation, including whether you can stand on your own feet. Talk it through with someone you trust before deciding. There is a guide on this under “When it gets hard”.
Is this only for people who have just reverted?
No. It is for anyone new to Islam, exploring it, or finding their way back, and for anyone who wants to support them.
Find a circle near you
Revert support is scattered across masjids and communities. We are gathering it in one place, and calling each local group a Revert Circle. We are starting in Manchester, and building connections across the UK.
The Al Furqan circle is run by us. The other groups are listed from what people who attend told us, and we are confirming details with each group.
Al Furqan
Revert Circle at Al Furqan Islamic Centre Live
Brothers: Friday evenings from 8pm
Gatherings, weekly classes on the basics, a buddy system and activities. A sisters’ space is being shaped with sisters’ feedback.
42 Great Southern Street, Manchester, M14 4EZ
Revert group Confirming
Fridays, 7 to 9pm
Revert group Confirming
Thursday evenings
Revert group Confirming
Sundays at 3pm
College Road, M16 8BP
Essentials: a six week course
Tuesdays, 7:15 to 8:30pm. Started 15 September 2026.
Delivered by Ustadh Shafiq Siddiq, for new Muslims and anyone strengthening their foundations. Salah, wudu, the five pillars, the six pillars of iman, and core beliefs. Open to all. Registration fee £5, limited places. It has already begun, so check with BMHC whether you can still join, and ask about the next course.
Quran classes, all levels
Mondays and Thursdays, around 8pm
Not only for reverts. Open to all levels.
Times are as shared with us by people who attend. Please confirm with the group before you travel. Some reverts like to join everything that is going on, so we are working with groups to avoid clashes and, in time, to connect them.
Know of a revert initiative?
Tell us and we’ll add it, so the next person doesn’t have to search.
Nothing near you?
Help us start a Revert Circle where you live. We’ll share what we’ve learned.
Events and classes
New to an area, or new to Islam, and not sure what is happening around you? Here is what is on, soonest first. It is a start, and it grows as groups tell us what they run.
Loading what is on...
Times are as shared with us by people who attend. Weekly events repeat every week, so please confirm with the group before you travel. Courses show their end date where we know it.
Running something?
Tell us about a class, a circle or a one-off event, and we will add it so the next person can find it.
Nothing near you?
Help us start a Revert Circle where you live. We will share what we have learned.
Add an event or class
Places to visit
Understanding Islam is not only reading. These are places in the UK where you can see its history and its people for yourself. Please check opening times before you go.
House of Wisdom exhibition, Manchester
British Muslim Heritage Centre, College Road, Whalley Range, M16 8BP. Muslim contributions to civilisation, with rare artefacts. The centre says it is open to the public five days a week, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Call 0161 881 8062 to check the days.
The Abdullah Quilliam Mosque, Liverpool
8-10 Brougham Terrace, Liverpool L6 1AE. Heritage Open Days describes it as the earliest recorded mosque in Britain, founded in a terrace house in 1889 by a group of British converts led by Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam, himself a convert. A reminder that reverts have helped build Islam in Britain from the start. Opening times are not listed on that page, so please contact the Abdullah Quilliam Society before you travel.
Know a place worth visiting? Tell us through the Ask page, and we will check it and add it. Being checked with scholars.
It is hard, and it gets easier
Almost everyone struggles in the same places. You are not behind, and you are not the first.
Small and steady beats big and short-lived. “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6464, Sahih Muslim 783It is hard for most people the first time, and it does get easier. Ask someone who has been through it. “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.”
Quran 2:185Many new Muslims feel this, especially after the first weeks. “I am near,” says Allah, “I respond to the caller when he calls on Me.”
Quran 2:186Being checked with scholars.
When things get hard
Short guides on handling real situations with wisdom, one step at a time. These are first drafts, and we are having them reviewed with scholars. For anything about your own situation, please ask someone you trust.
Telling your family
There is no fixed rule for when or how. Anyone who gives you one is guessing. It depends on you and on your family.
Ask yourself honestly before you decide. Could I stand on my own feet if the reaction is hard, with housing, money and support? Do I know what I believe and why, well enough to answer simple questions calmly? Is there one person I can lean on whatever happens? Which family member is most likely to listen first?
When you are ready. Choose a calm moment, not an argument and not a big family day. Start with who you are, not with what they should change. Saying that you have found something that has made you calmer and kinder lands very differently from a list of new rules. Expect questions and some hurt. The first reaction is often not the last, so do not argue to win.
Over time, your character does most of the talking. If parents push you away from your belief, the Quran says not to obey them in that, but to keep them company in this world with kindness (Quran 31:15). Kindness and firmness can sit together.
If you cannot pray openly at home yet, ask a scholar about your situation, rather than guess. And you do not have to carry any of this by yourself. Talk to your buddy or the circle before and after.
Culture and religion, and telling them apart
One of the most confusing parts of joining the Muslim community is working out which things are Islam and which are the habits of the people around you. Many Muslims were born into a culture and mix the two without noticing.
Food, dress, wedding customs, how families treat each other, who marries whom, what is seen as shameful. Some of it is harmless tradition. Some of it conflicts with Islam. Much of it is neutral. You do not have to guess.
A useful question to ask. Where does this come from, the Quran and the Sunnah, or from where someone grew up? Ask a scholar, not just whoever is closest. And Islam does not ask you to erase your background. Whatever does not conflict with it can stay.
Do not judge Islam by people. People will disappoint you, and Allah does not. If someone treats you as lesser because of where you come from, that is not Islam. The Quran puts the measure in one place: “The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13).
Friends who don’t understand
Your friends are still your friends. Becoming Muslim does not mean cutting everyone off, and it should not happen overnight.
Some friends will be curious, some will be awkward, and some will drift. All of that is normal. Tell them simply, something like “I’ve started praying, and it matters to me.” No lecture needed.
Start with small, steady things, like your prayer times and what you eat and drink. Some settings will get harder, especially ones centred on alcohol. Work out step by step, with guidance, what you can stay in and what you cannot, and offer alternatives: a football match, a meal, a walk.
Expect that a few will drift, and that it will hurt. Build new friendships alongside the old ones so there is no gap: a class, a sport, the circle. And do not look down on friends who are where you used to be. When you are unsure about a particular situation, ask one trusted brother or sister.
Letting go of old habits, and waking for Fajr
Almost everyone who comes to Islam carries habits they will need to change, from a late night routine to drinking to the way they spend their weekends. Change comes in stages, and so does the Quran itself. Nobody expects it all to go on the first day, and shame is the thing most likely to make people quit.
Small and steady beats big and short. The Prophet ﷺ said the most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464, Sahih Muslim 783). Praying on time, kept up, is worth more than a week of perfect intentions.
Fajr is hard for most people, and it is not only you. Go to sleep earlier than you think you need to. Put your alarm across the room. Ask one person to message you in the morning. Join a Fajr accountability group in our community. If you do oversleep, ask a scholar what to do instead of guessing, and keep going the next day.
Letting go of a habit, such as drinking. Change the place and the time first, because habits live in routines. Decide what you will do in that gap instead: a walk, the gym, a call, a class. Tell one trusted person so you are not fighting it alone. Expect to slip. When you do, repent and carry on. Allah says: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins” (Quran 39:53).
Unlearning also means putting down shame. You are not starting from a bad place. You are moving towards a better one, one step at a time.
Spending Eid / Christmas alone
If you are spending Eid or Christmas alone, you are far from the only one. It is one of the most common and least talked about parts of coming to Islam. Eid is a day built around family and gathering. Christmas may be the one time your old family traditions feel loudest. Both can leave you feeling you have lost something and not yet found what replaces it. That feeling is normal. It is not a sign you made a mistake.
Plan early, not on the day. A day with a shape is far easier than an empty one.
For Eid. Go to the Eid prayer and arrive early. Say salaam to one person and introduce yourself, most people are glad to be asked. Message a mentor, buddy or the circle a week before and ask who you can spend the afternoon with. Eid meals are often open to anyone, and a quick message makes all the difference. Have something small planned either way: a meal, a walk, a call.
For Christmas. You may be invited to family gatherings. Scholars give different answers on particular things such as gifts, cards or attending a meal, so ask someone you trust instead of guessing. What nearly everyone agrees on is that you keep family ties and stay kind. Allah says He does not forbid you from being kind and fair to those who have not fought you over your religion (Quran 60:8). You can be warm, grateful and present without making the day a debate. If you will be on your own anyway, arrange to spend part of the day with other Muslims.
If it still hurts, say so to someone. Feeling lonely at these times is not weakness. We are building a plan so no one in our circle is left alone on these days.
Marriage, and being accepted
For many new Muslims, marriage is where being new feels heaviest. Some families see a revert as a risk, however sincere he or she is. And some reverts, wanting to belong, rush into a match that is not right. Both are real, and neither is a reason to lose heart.
Slow down on purpose. Marrying quickly out of loneliness is one of the most common regrets. Take time to know the person and their family, and ask people who know them well.
What Islam asks you to look for. The Prophet ﷺ said: “If someone whose religion and character you are pleased with comes to you, then marry him” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 1084). The measure is religion and character, for you as much as for them. It is not family name, background or where you were born.
If you are treated as a risk. That is people, not Islam. Allah puts the measure in one place: “The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13). Over time, steady practice, good character and people who will speak for you carry more weight than any argument.
Bring someone in. Do not carry this alone. Talk it through with a mentor, an imam or a trusted elder, and let them be part of the conversations with families. The details of a marriage, including the guardian (wali), witnesses and the mahr, are for a scholar to explain to your situation. This matters especially for sisters whose families are not Muslim, so please ask early.
More guides on the way:
- Coming to Islam young in progress
- Losing someone you love in progress
- Work, money and halal living in progress
Revert stories
Real journeys, in people’s own words. Hearing someone who has been where you are is often what helps most.
The first stories are on their way.
If you’d like to share yours, with your name or without, we’d be honoured to hear it. Copy and paste it below, or write it fresh.
Every story is read and checked by a small team, with scholars where needed, before anything is shared. Nothing goes live without your clear yes.
Share your story
Reads
Longer pieces on what reverts go through, and what the rest of us can do about it.
After the shahada: why we built Revert Journeys
A man takes his shahadah on a Friday evening. The room is warm. Brothers embrace him, someone records a video, someone else cries. For a moment, he is the most celebrated person in the building.
Then everyone goes home.
What happens on the Tuesday after is the real story, and almost nobody tells it. No camera is rolling when he is trying to work out how to pray without anyone watching him get it wrong. No one is clapping when he sits at his family’s dinner table, deciding whether tonight is the night he says something, or whether it can wait. The warmth of the room does not travel home with him.
That gap, between the celebration of a shahadah and the quiet work of living a new life, is why Revert Journeys exists.
Two layers, not one
Most support for new Muslims covers one layer: the practical one. How to make wudu. How to pray. What the five pillars are. It matters, but beneath it sits a harder layer, the emotional and relational one, where a person learns to navigate people, not just rituals.
How do you tell your mother? How do you sit at a table where everyone is drinking and you are not, without making it a scene? How do you build a new circle of friends when the old one does not disappear, and should not have to?
Belief has to be grounded first. Once someone is grounded in what he believes and why, everything after it, the difficult conversations, the friends who drift, the family who do not understand, becomes part of the test rather than a reason to abandon the path.
What we learned from someone who has done this before
Early on we sat with a guest who has thought hard about how spaces like this should be built. He told us to build in levels, not one room for everyone, because a revert three weeks in and a revert three years in are not having the same experience. He told us mentors grow from within: reverts who have sat in class for a long time, watching the questions go back and forth, become mentors almost without noticing.
He also said the shahadah is not a finished stamp. A person can say the words and still not know what they mean by heart. And he said something harder: as reverts, we have to take our own Islam into our own hands. Blaming other people or the environment is not always fair, so we push for knowledge and stay involved in the deen.
One practical gap he named has stayed with us as a commitment: Christmas and Eid. Reverts spending those days alone is common, and it should not be. Food, people, somewhere to be.
You are still on your own
We can build structure, mentors and a real community, and all of it matters. But underneath, a person is still on his own. That is not a failure of the system, it is simply true for everyone. It means decisions are made with wisdom, not outsourced. When to tell family is not a fixed rule. It depends on whether you can stand on your own two feet. Support should inform that wisdom, never replace it.
Everyone was a revert once
Every companion of the Prophet ﷺ was, at some point, a revert. The idea of the heritage Muslim, raised entirely inside the culture of Islam, is in a real sense the newer one. Being born Muslim does not automatically mean more grounding or knowledge. A revert of twenty years, studying and striving the whole time, can be far more grounded than someone who has never had to work for any of it.
Islam is built on effort, not inheritance. The Prophet ﷺ said the one who recites the Quran with ease is with the noble angels, and the one who struggles through it has two rewards (Sahih al-Bukhari 4937, Sahih Muslim 798).
Two journeys, two lenses
A revert’s journey tends to be a search. He is in pursuit, looking inward for purpose. A heritage Muslim’s test often runs the other way, less an inward search than an outward resistance, an environment pulling against what he already has. Neither is easier. Recognising which lens someone is looking through is what makes empathy real instead of performed.
And different communities carry different pain points. A Black revert, a South Asian revert, an Arab revert and a white British revert are not having the same experience.
Allah said, “The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13). The Prophet ﷺ repeated it in his final sermon: no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of the red over the dark, except by taqwa (Musnad Ahmad 23489).
People will disappoint you. If you build your understanding of this religion on anyone’s example, you will eventually be let down, because everyone involved is human. Allah does not disappoint. That is the anchor under everything we are building.
Not a tick box for one evening of celebration, but something sturdy enough to still be standing on the Tuesday after, and the Tuesday after that, for as long as it takes.
From what were you created? Race, arrogance and the measure of taqwa
On where racial pride began, how the Quran and the Prophet ﷺ dismantle it, and how Muslim communities can live up to the standard of taqwa. Publishing here soon.
Join our community
Separate spaces for brothers and for sisters, so you hear about classes, meetups and activities near you.
Inside the brothers’ community there are smaller groups, such as Fajr accountability groups and local circles, and a space for your questions. We are working to bring scholars in for Q&A.
For sisters: we are holding meetings with sisters and speaking to the masjid directly, so the sisters’ community is shaped properly, by sisters. If you would like to help shape it, tick the box in the form further down this page.
How we support
The way we treat people is part of the message. These six habits are for everyone who helps here.
Before we say anything, we ask what you need and what is hard right now.
The Prophet ﷺ was given concise, comprehensive speech (Sahih Muslim 523). We answer the question that was asked.
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction” (Quran 16:125).
New, returning, scholarly or simple. The road is different for each person.
Our character is part of what we are inviting people to.
Guidance is Allah’s (Quran 28:56). Support is ours.
The Prophet-reference above should be verified in review.
Been on this road a while? Give back.
If you have been a revert for a long time, you have studied and have solid grounding, or you are a teacher or professional who simply wants to give back, there is a real need for you. Mentor a brother or sister, teach a class, or share a skill.
Help build this
We would rather have a few people who are consistent than a long list of names. There is a place for you.
Volunteer or mentor
Walk alongside someone new. A short, honest screening comes first, because this takes patience.
Teach
Muallims and teachers, we are building a network so no one carries everything. Tell us which days you teach.
Start a Revert Circle where you live
Nothing near you? We will share what we have learned, and help you start.
Tell us how you would like to help
A short form is all it takes. Tick whatever fits, and we will get back to you.
For masajid and communities
Already running something for reverts? We would like to align, not duplicate. Starting from scratch? We can share what has worked.
We do not ask for anything. If you want a Revert Circle, we will help set one up. If you already have plans in motion, we will link to them and send people your way. If you have talks, playlists, resources or tips, we are happy to share and promote them, with credit to you.
What we can share
Our proof of concept from Manchester, a template you can adapt, our curriculum map, and what we have learned about spaces, timings and what reverts actually ask for.
What we would like to learn
What you already offer, which days you teach and meet, and where reverts in your area fall through the gaps, so we can signpost people properly.
Support the work
Starter kits, help through hardship, and giving now live together on their own page.
Support
Somewhere to go when you need something practical, in the order most people need it: free resources first, then the things you may want to own, then help if life is hard, then ways to give.
1. Free resources, ready now
Nothing to pay, and some can be posted to your door.
Free Dawah gift box from IERA
Five free books, posted to you.
Welcome gift box for new Muslims
A free IERA box for people who have recently taken their shahadah. See the page for how to request one.
Free books, videos, apps and courses
Everything we have gathered, in one place.
2. The Revert Starter Kit
Being built, not yet orderableA simple bundle for someone’s first weeks as a Muslim. We are not selling anything yet, and no payment is taken on this site. Tell us you want one and we will contact you the moment it is ready, with what it costs and where the money goes.
A short book on the life of the Prophet ﷺ and a first salah guide
A welcome note from us, and free books and resources
A Quran with English translation beside the Arabic
A prayer mat
Simple prayer clothing, such as a thobe or a prayer scarf, only if the person would like it
We are speaking to suppliers about better prices. The hope is that people who can afford a kit help fund kits for those who cannot.
Put me on the list
Tell us who you are and what would help most. We do not ask for your address until a kit is ready.
3. Help when life is hard
Many reverts carry a financial burden that nobody sees: help with housing, work, or family support that falls away after taking their shahadah. Good advice does not help when the rent is due. Our aim is that giving, once it opens, goes to helping reverts through hardship and to helping new hubs open where there are none.
We cannot promise money. We can listen, point you to the right help, and be honest about what we can and cannot do.
4. Give
Giving is not open yet
We are working out the right way to handle donations, openly and properly, before we ask for anything. How funds are held and used, including what scholars say about zakat, will be decided in the open and with scholars first. If you would like to hear when it opens, or talk about supporting a specific part of the work, email us.
Give your dua
The easiest and most powerful help costs nothing. Make dua for those who have just come to Islam, and for those who are struggling to stay.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”
Quran 3:8In the meantime, the biggest help is simple: tell a revert about us, and give an hour.