To declare the Shahadah ( Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illaallaah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-ar-rasool ullaah (i.e I bear witness that there is no God worthy to be worshiped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.)
You may go to your a Masjid (Mosque/Islamic center) and declare your shahadah or with another Muslim or you may contact us and we can help you say the shahadah on the phone or via online chat. If this is not possible them you may say the shahadah by yourself

At MuslimConverts.com we have helped many brothers and sisters say the Shahadah via phone and via the Net.

So if you wish for us to go through it with you step by step. Please do no not hesitate to leave us a message and we can arrange a mutually convenient time.

In my many years of experience I find that brothers and sisters are afraid that they cannot pronounce the Arabic words of the Shahadah. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of because what I will help you with that (or whom ever you take your Shahadah with).

From the Emails I received I noticed some women have delayed their Shahadah because of menstruation. It does not matter if a woman is menstruating. You can say your Shahadah even when you are menstruating. The women do not go inside the prayer area of the Masjid (Mosque) when menstruating.

However if they want to say their Shahadah at the Masjid they brothers and sisters at the Masjid can arrange for you to say it say just outside the Masjid or in another part of the Masjid.

Another common question is as to whether you need any one to witness your Shahadah. It may be a good idea to say your Shahadah in front of 1 Muslim or with 1 Muslim on the phone or online if that is possible. However many scholars have said that a person may be living in an isolated area with no Muslim around and no access to phones or internet so ofcourse he/she should be allowed say the Shahadah to himself/herself.

Once you have said the Shahadah then you will be like a New Born Person. Free of any sins. Just like a child is born sinless
During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) those wishing to convert to Islam would go to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and give their pledge of allegiance to Prophet Muhammad for Islam. The Prophet put conditions before accepting their pledges.
Then Prophet peace be upon him would shake the hands of the men who gave their pledge and accepted the conditions. In case of women he only took their pledge by word because in Islam a it is not allowed to shake hands with the opposite sex who are non mehrem.
Some examples of this is .
During the treaty of hudaybiyah women would migrate to the Islamic state in Madina and give their pledge to the Prophet peace be upon him. To check that these women actually believed in Islam and were not just running away from their non Muslim families. Allah revealed the following verse.
Allah said:
"O Prophet! When believing women come to you to give you the Bai'a (pledge), that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (i.e. by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and that they will not disobey you in any Ma'ruf (everything good according to Islam) then accept their Bai'a (pledge), and ask Allah to forgive them, Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful". (Quran 60:12)
So the Prophet would say to them "Pledge to me in that you will not associate any with Allah, nor steal, nor commit Zina (adultery/fornication), nor kill your children" Then he would recite the above verse (Quran 60 verse 12) and when the women agreed to those conditions then he would say I have accepted your pledge and he would add " Those among you who fulfill this pledge, will receive their reward from Allah. Those who deviate from any of it and receive the legal punishment (in this life), the punishment will be expiation for that sin. Whoever deviates from any of it and Allah screens him, then it is up to Allah to punish or forgive if He wills."
Another example

Jarir bin Abdullah said :
I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for the following:
1. offer prayers perfectly
2. pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)
3. and be sincere and true to every Muslim.
(Bukhari Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 54)
Another example
Narrated Ziyad bin'Ilaqa:

I heard Jarir bin 'Abdullah (Praising Allah). On the day when Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba died, he (Jarir) got up (on the pulpit) and thanked and praised Allah and said, "Be afraid of Allah alone Who has none along with Him to be worshiped.(You should) be calm and quiet till the (new) chief comes to you and he will come to you soon. Ask Allah's forgiveness for your (late) chief because he himself loved to forgive others." Jarir added, "Amma badu (now then), I went to the Prophet and said, 'I give my pledge of allegiance to you for Islam." The Prophet conditioned (my pledge) for me to be sincere and true to every Muslim so I gave my pledge to him for this. By the Lord of this mosque! I am sincere and true to you (Muslims). Then Jarir asked for Allah's forgiveness and came down (from the pulpit).(Bukhari 4: Volume: 1, Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 55)
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After the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) those who wanted to convert to Islam would give their pledge of allegiance to the Muslim Khalif (leader of the Islamic state) and the Khalif would accept their pledge of allegiance.
Unfortunately the Islamic state was destroyed in 1924 and since then we have had no khalif.
However we will have it one day and in the meantime those Muslims should take note of this pledge of Allegiance and the need for a khalif. Thus even in the absence of the Khalif a Muslim should sincerely adhere to the conditions that Muslims used to pledge to. So a persons loyalty MUST be with the true Muslims.
Thus a Muslim should not be aiding in the killing of Muslims or the Invasion of Muslim lands. We should be working for the reestablishment of the Khailifate (Islamic state) under one leader (Khalif).
We should that we are one nation (one Ummah) of almost 1.5 billion. We have one Quran, one Prophet and one flag. Whatever our language, race, place of birth may be we are still one Ummah and our loyality must be with each other.
We may be scattered all around the globe but our loyalty should be with each other.
Thus we should not be in the armed forces of the non Muslims.
Those who are in the armed forces of the non Muslims they must leave those armed forces unless a Muslim countries needs them there to spy on that force.
Those Muslims who are in the armed forces of the Muslim countries can only obey orders which are in line with Islamic principles. They can not obeying orders which are against Islam or call for fighting on bases of nationalism, or spreading of man made laws or to defend unIslamic practices.
As Muslims we should allow Islam to change us into the kind of human beings that our creator loves and not try and change Islam to fit us.
Therefore some old habits and ways of thinking will have to be left behind. It will take time to leave old habits and ways of thinking but as you become more Allah conscious, you will start leaving those old habits and ideas which may not be in accordance to Islam.
We should strive to be the perfect Muslims but we should remember that people do mess up from time to time and end up committing sins
We should remember that Allah is most merciful and he loves sincere repentance. If we sincerely repent from a sin, Allah will forgive us.
Allah loves to see his slaves turn to Him in sincere repentance. Allah knows who is sincere in repentance.