A new Muslim's first week
Entering Islam, the first wash, the first prayer, and telling the people around you.
The first week is mostly firsts. The questions come in order: how one enters Islam, the wash that follows, learning to pray, and what to say to family. This set gathers the answers in that order.
Each entry is a short summary of a full answer on Ftawy, with the link to that answer at the bottom. The set routes you to them; it does not rule on anything itself.
SeasonNew to Islam
In this collection
- What is the explanation of the Hadith: "This matter will reach wherever night and day reach, and Allah will not leave a house of mud nor a house of fur except that Allah will cause this religion to enter it, with the might of the mighty or the abasement of the abased; might with which Allah honors Islam, and abasement with which Allah humiliates disbelief," and how does this accord with Islam not entering some houses that were built and have ceased to exist?
- Is it permissible for me to convert to Islam while being a vegetarian (I do not eat meat or animal products)?
- What is Islam's view on how to deal with the mistakes of others, and is forgiveness and tolerance of the wrongdoer—even if the mistake is repeated by him—considered weakness, humiliation, and disgrace, or is it better?
- How can the transmission by some Salafis of sayings from Sufi figures such as Al-Junayd and Ibn 'Ata' Allah Al-Sakandari be reconciled with the assertion by some of their preachers that "Sufism is a religion that contradicts the religion of Islam in its sources of reception" and "hides behind Islam"? And what is the view on books like "Qawa'id al-Tasawwuf" by Ibn Zarruq, "Al-Risalah al-Qushayriyyah", and Sa'id Hawwa's writings on spiritual purification?
- Is it necessary to use "sidr" (lote tree leaves) when performing ghusl (ritual bath) with water and sidr upon entering Islam, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded Qais ibn Asim?
- Is the prayer of my grandmother, who did not pray then repented and prayed two obligatory prayers and two rak'ahs of repentance before falling into a coma, accepted Islamically, given that she did not perform the ghusl (ritual bath) for entering Islam after her repentance, and does the rule of overlooking error and forgetfulness apply to her, or does her lack of knowledge of the obligation of ghusl not exempt her from the invalidity of her prayer due to the availability of means of knowledge?
- Is it obligatory to perform ghusl for semen when in doubt about its emission, given that its known characteristics, such as the sensation of its emission, subsequent relaxation, and its smell, are not present, and is it permissible to combine the intention for ghusl from semen with ghusl from menstruation and embracing Islam?
- 1. Is ghusl (full ritual ablution) required if a spot that water did not reach remains during purification? 2. Is ghusl required again due to previous blasphemous statements, and was ghusl obligatory upon embracing Islam? 3. Is it considered disbelief to deliberately read a word that is not from the Qur’an to complete a recitation, and what should one do if Satan whispers thoughts of disbelief when making a mistake in the Qur’an or laughing? 4. Is ghusl a condition for entering Islam, and is wudu (partial ablution) and the Shahada (testimony of faith) sufficient for entering Islam or upon uttering disbelief, and is the Shahada of the Iqama (call to commence prayer) sufficient for the Shahada of entering Islam? 5. What actions must be taken to get rid of obsessive whispers?
- How can a new Muslim perform the prayer and what should he say in it, and is it a condition to know the Arabic language to recite the Qur'an?
- Is it permissible for a Muslim to pray in a car without Wudu or Tayammum ("Salat Faqid al-Tahoorain" - prayer of one who lacks both means of purification), knowing that the time for Fajr prayer might expire if he waits until arrival?
Updated Sep 5, 2026