Welcome
Becoming a Muslim is a big decision, and it is natural to have many questions. This guide goes through the first steps briefly and points to pages on islam.is and to the mosques in Iceland, where you can learn more.
When ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs became Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said to him: “Do you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it?” (Sahih Muslim 121). You start with a clean slate.
The shahada: bearing witness
You become a Muslim by saying the shahada, the declaration of faith, and meaning it:
Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu-llāh. “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
Many people say it in a mosque, with the imam and witnesses, which is a good way to meet the community straight away. No registration or papers are required. If you wish, you can also register as a member of a Muslim religious association with Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá), but that is a choice, not a duty.
Many scholars advise new Muslims to take a ghusl, a full bath, after saying the shahada. Ask the mosque’s imam about it.
Five pillars
The Prophet ﷺ said that Islam is built on five: bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing the prayer, paying zakat, the pilgrimage to Makkah (hajj), and fasting in Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 8). You don’t need to know everything at once.
The prayer, step by step
The prayer, salah, is five times a day. Before praying you wash in a set way, wudu. It is normal to learn the prayer over a few weeks:
- Start with the words. Al-Fatihah, the first surah of the Qur’an, is recited in every prayer. Read the article on al-Fatihah and learn it by heart.
- Learn wudu. The article on wudu in an Icelandic winter explains wudu and what you can do in the cold.
- Pray with others. In the mosque you can stand beside others and follow them. It is the best way to learn.
- The times. The prayer times are worked out for where you are, and the qibla page shows which way to face.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Religion is easy” (Sahih al-Bukhari 39), and told people to make things easy for others, not hard (Sahih al-Bukhari 69). The Qur’an says that Allah does not burden anyone beyond what they can bear (al-Baqarah 2:286).
The mosques in Iceland
The mosques in Reykjavík hold the daily prayers and the Friday prayer. Félag múslima á Íslandi names support for new Muslims among its activities, and offers Qur’an classes and courses. The mosques page has addresses, websites and email addresses, and when the Friday prayer is.
The Friday prayer, jumuʿah, is the community’s weekly gathering, and a good way to get to know people.
Fasting, zakat and festivals
- Ramadan. In Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The Ramadan page shows the times and how the month goes. A first Ramadan can be demanding; start gently and talk to others.
- Zakat. A yearly duty for those whose wealth is above a set threshold. The zakat calculator explains the rules.
- Festivals. Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha about two months later.
Family, work and daily life
- Your name. You don’t have to change your name. Some take an Arabic name as well, but that is a choice.
- Your family. Islam calls for respect and kindness towards parents and relatives, whether they are Muslim or not. It may help to show them the guide for friends and neighbours.
- Food. Muslims don’t eat pork or drink alcohol (al-Maʾidah 5:3 and 5:90), and many eat only halal meat.
- Work. The guide for workplaces covers prayer during working hours, fasting and holidays. It can help when you talk to your manager.
Where to ask
You don’t have to find the answers alone. Questions of fiqh, the rules of the religion, are best taken to the mosque’s imam, because scholars can hold different views on them. The mosques’ email addresses are on the mosques page.