What Should I Tell My Teenage Teammate Who Doesn’t Feel Worthy to Convert?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I am a 16-year-old girl. One of my teammates has been interested in Islam for the past few months. She has tried praying and knows about fasting. As I was just starting to get to know her, I have spent the last few months simply trying to gain her trust and make her feel comfortable. Lately, she sent me a message explaining that she feels very connected to Islam but almost feels that she is not worthy enough to be Muslim.
What advice would you give me to explain to her that you don’t have to be perfect to convert? For my own reference, are converts expected to fulfill all fard actions immediately (like wearing full and complete hijab, knowing the surahs, etc.)?
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for telling her about Islam, and I pray that she receives the mercy and guidance to convert.
Worthy
Please tell your friend that none of us are worthy and that we are all imperfect. But believing in one God and that Muhammad is his Messenger is the very first step in obeying our Creator and trying to help ourselves. God knows that we are sinners, and He loves repentance. We must never rely on ourselves but only on Him. We must be grateful to Him for every blessing, and turning to Him is the only way to salvation. Turning away from Him will never work because He is the end of all paths. Please direct your friend to the many useful tips, answers, problems, and solutions in the links below.
‘Amr Ibn al-‘As
I pray that your friend can benefit from this story of a companion of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
Ibn Shumasah reported:
We visited ‘Amr bin al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was on his deathbed. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: “O father, did not the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) give you the good news of such and such? Did he not give you glad tidings of such and such?” Then he (‘Amr) turned his face towards us and said: “The best thing which you can count upon is the affirmation that: La ilaha illaLlah (there is no true god except Allah), and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
I have passed through three phases. I remember when I hated none more than I hated the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and there was no other desire stronger in me than that of killing him. Had I died in that state, I would have definitely been one of the dwellers of Fire (Hell). When Allah instilled the love for Islam in my heart, I went to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, ‘Extend your right hand so that I pledge allegiance to you.’ He (Allah bless him and give him peace) stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. He said, ‘What is the matter, ‘Amr?’ I said, ‘I wish to lay down some conditions.’ He asked, ‘What conditions do you wish to put forward?’ I replied, ‘To be granted forgiveness.’ He said, ‘Do you not know that (embracing) Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds)? Verily, emigration wipes out all the previous sins, and the Hajj (pilgrimage) wipes out all the previous sins.’
Thereafter, no one was dearer to me than the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and none was more respectable than him in my eyes. So bright was his splendor that I could not gather enough courage to look at his face for any length of time. If I were asked to describe his features, I would not be able to do so because I have never caught a full glimpse of his face. Had I died in that state, I could have hoped to be one of the dwellers of Janna. Thereafter, we were made responsible for many things, and in the light of which I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, no mourner nor fire should accompany my bier. When you bury me, throw the earth gently over me and stand over my grave for the space of time within which a camel is slaughtered, and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and, in your presence, ascertain what answer I can give to the Messengers of my Rabb (the angels in the grave).” [Muslim]
Please see these links as well:
- Introduction to Islam: What It Means to Be Muslim
- New to Islam Reader: A Trusted Collection of Resources for Converts
- How Should a Recent Convert Build Their Knowledge of Islam?
- How Do I Enter Islam? I Want to Become Muslim.
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
