Necessary-Orientation
I have listed 10-Precepts, in case any of you out there are interested in educating New-Muslims about al-Islām-It is merely my intent to prepare Orientation-Instructors, for what to mention as well as what not to mention to New-Muslims. Knowing these “Do’s & Don’ts” will give them the Capability/Ability to better educate Fellow-Muslims, concerning the Qawā`id (Fundamental-Teachings) of al-Islām. It’s very important to establish a Correct-Qa`d/Foundation, for those whom’re new to al-Islām.
We need not deviate them or confuse them, with our own Individual-Ignorance, Egotistical/Desire-Driven Agendas, etc. We should exclusively want them to be Better-Muslims than we are now. Also, we should want them to have a more Authentic-Oriention of al-Islām than we’ve ever received: free from al-Bid`ah/Religio-Innovation & Religio-Cultural Bagage. I take the Orientation of New-Muslims very seriously, mainly because I was once a New-Muslim. I was a Muslim-Rookie, at one point in the Trenches, on my own, for a Long-Time. People either didn’t give me the Correct Know-How (about al-Islām that I needed at the time), or they just didn’t give a Shit. Well, I give a Shit about Others!!!
I want to afford New-Muslims with same Islāmic-Ease&Comfort which I personally never got the chance to experience (relative to my Personal-Growth/Development as a New-Muslim). We owe that to ever New-Muslim. Transitioning from 1-Dīn/Religio-Lifestyle to Another-Dīn yields Various-Challenges for Different-People. In fact, there’s even New-Muslims whom never had any Dīn growing-up. Every New-Muslim wasn’t Formerly Judeo-Christian: they could’ve been Formerly-Hindu, Formerly-Buddhist, Formerly-Animist, Formerly-Jain, Formerly-Sikh, Formerly-Atheists, Formerly-Agnostic, Formerly-Satanist, etc. It’s never an “Easy-Decision” for any Person to forfit the `Aqīdah/Theology and/or Dīn/Religion they once held dear, to then to accept Another-`Aqīdah/Dīn. The New-Muslim needs & is entitled/justified to all of the necessary Assurity, Empathy/Compassion, Confidence, Direction, etc. humanly possible so they’re less regretful or doubtful (of the Decision that they made about becoming Muslims).
The Do’s & Don’ts of proper Islamic-Orientation are the following:
1. Do make sure that anyone who becomes Muslim, in your presence, learns & understands the Basics of at-Tawhīd (Islamic-Monotheism)!!! Also, in addition to that, they must be taught general `Aqidah (6-Pillars of al-Īmān [Belief/Faith]), as well as the 5-Pillars of al-Islām (the Most-Basic Day2Day Acts-Of-`Ibādah/Worship), as well as al-Ihsān (Excellence). These-Things are the Usūl-Fundamentals-Of-Islām, and they’re the First&Foremost-Things to be taught to a New-Muslim before anything else thereafter.
2. Do not mention anything about “changing one’s Name”!!! This has 0-Relevance concerning one’s induction into al-Islām, nor their Personal-Pevelopment as a Muslim. In fact, this Whole-Concept-Phenomenon of a New-Muslim changing one’s Name, before or after they become a Muslim Non-Islāmic!!! There is absolutely 0-Evidence from either The Qur’ān or as-Sunnah/the Prophetic-Tradition, which warrants the “Name-Change” of anyone who is new to al-Islām. Furthermore, Muslims are only religiously required to committ to a “Name-Change” regarding a Muslim’s 1st-Name, only if/when their 1st-Name has an Islamically-Negative/Inappropriate Meaning.
3. Do make sure that they learn the Basic/Principle actions of al-`Ibādah!!! It’s very important to teach them the Primary Day2ay Acts-Of-`Ibādah, as well as all the Elements associated with these Acts (as-Salah [5 Daily-Prayers], az-Zakāh [Taxation/Obligatory-Charity], as-Siyām/as-Sawm [Fasting during the Month-Of-Ramadhān], at-Tahārah/an-Nizhāfah (Islāmic-Hygiene), al-Khukuq/al-Adab [Character/Behavior]).
4. Do not try to just pour Info. down their throats at 1-Time!!! Since they’re New-Muslims, it’s going to take Time for them to grasp all of the Info. that somone is giving them-They have to be Spoon-Fed (for lack of a Better-Word). They have to be cultivated, to internalize the Normalcy of practicing al-Islām which is simple, gentile, gradual, easy.
5. Do make sure that they learn Basic Ahkām/Regulations, regarding Gender-Relations, Dietary-Code, Dress-Code, etc. It’s very important, as Muslims, that they know the Hudūd/Boundaries of Same-Gender&Opposite-Gender Engagenent. Also, they must know what is Mahlūl/Allowable & Mahrūm/Prohibited for them to dietarily consume. They must also know what’s Islamically-Appropriate/Inappropriate for them to wear.
6. Do not try to pry into the personal lives of New-Muslims!!! We must never ask or entertain Inappropiate-Inquiries, regarding the Past of a New-Muslim. Generally, whatever they have done via their Past, is in the Past, unless it involves something that is detrimental to one’s Self or Society at large. The fact that they’ve become Muslims means that Allah has automatically forgiven them, for any/all of those Past-Actions. So, we inturn, should keep Those-Things out of the Equation, regarding the Orientation of New-Muslims!!! Prying into the Personal-Lives of New-Muslims is not only in opposition to The Qur’ān & as-Sunnah, but it can also cause a New-Muslim to leave al-Islam. Many people become Muslim to turn over a New-Leaf, to end one chapter in their lives & start another, for a second chance…..we owe them all of this!!! It is not Islamically correct to make New-Muslims feel uncomfortable, by delving into their pasts. This is something which could cause them to harbor distrust, hate, and secracy towards the Muslims. We need to give them their space & allow them to grow, as well as right their own wrongs, without potential criticism from other Muslims, about what they used to do or who they used to be!!!
7. Do make sure that they receive sufficient Reading/Study-Materials, to help them with their Islamic-Studies.
8. Don not try to pressure New-Muslims who are men, to start donning Arab-Clothing. Arab-Clothing is exactly what it is: Arab-Clothing!!! This includes: Kūfīs, Thawbs/Thobes (a Judeo-Christian Arab Inception/Invention for the Record), Khuffs/Leather-Socks, Turbans, `Iqāls/Hoop-Caps, Ghutrahs/Kifayyahs (Shalls), Izārs(Waist-Wraps/Kilts) and all of that other Cultural-Shit…..keep that for the Desert!!! We are not Arabs/Desert-Dwellers…..we are Muslims!!! These-Types/Kinds of Clothes have absolutely 0-Relevance Islamically!!! There’s absolutely 0 Islāmic-Precedent established (either via The Qur’an or as-Sunnah), which “necesitates” Muslim-Men to don Arab-Clothing. As long as a Muslim-Man, wears Clothing which is Islamically acceptable, then realistically, they can wear whatever they want!!! As far as Muslim-Women are concerned, then do not try to pressure them to start covering/wearing Feminine-Hijāb (Islāmic Dress-Code for Muslim-Women from Head2Toe)!!! This is a New-Experience for them. We need to teach them how important it is for a Muslim-Woman to cover their Body firstly, as opposed to telling them what to wear vs. what not to wear. We have to allow them to gradually confrom to This-Kind/ype of Dress-Code. For Most-women, living in Societies like ours, it’s so difficult to conform to Classic Islamic Dress-Code.
9. Do make sure that New-Muslims feel comfortable when orientating them!!! A lot of Times, People want to venture off, and do things themselves. As far as Religion is concerned, Many-People are inclined to learn via Trial&Error. Very rarely does Trial&Error work, regarding a New-Muslim learning about al-Islām. Depending upon a Person’s Age, Social-Status, or General Life-Experience, etc. they’ll probably feel uncomfortable having to learn something from someone else (especially if they are not as old as they are, not as established in society as they are, or not as experienced as they are in Life, etc.). All of These-Sensitivies must be taken into account, whenever dealing with New-Muslims. Whenever one is orientating a New-Muslim, we must be careful not to make New-Muslims feel “Inferior”, “Ignorant”, “Unintelligent”, etc. Be careful not to offend them in any Way!!!
10. Do not embolden, nor suggest, any New-Muslim to join or allign themselves with any Hizb (Religio-Sect)!!! They’re New-Muslims!!! They need not be corrupted via the Muqaddimah/Introduction to these Ahzāb (Religio-Groups/Factions) from among the Muslims. Let them acquire a Firm-Foundation in Islamic-Principles & Fundamentals!!! These different groups have absolutely no relevance to New-Muslims. If anything, they should be sheltered from all of these different groups. Oftentimes, New-Muslims are so enthusiastic about being Muslims in the first place, that they’ll be quick to delve into different things, thinking that this is good for them. What adds insult-to-injury is that many Muslims have & will use this ferver of Muslims, to cultivate them the way they want to, and not necessarily the most correct way. We need to make a sincere effort, to secure the delicate integrity of New-Muslims-the complexities & politics of these different schools of Fiqh, ideologies and factions, from among the Muslims, should not be allowed, in any way, to taint the purity of their Islam.
Results of these Orientation-Precepts
These-Precepts, when followed, can & will (with the Permission of Allah) have Great-Results. New-Muslims will be given a Chance to learn al-Islām, without being made “Inferior”, without Cultural-Colonization (often containing Non-Islamic Concepts & Practices anyway), and without being dragged into the Web of Sectarian Sucka-Shit, etc. It’s my Sincere-Rajā’/Hope, that those entrusted to orientate New-Muslims take This-Task seriously-We must remember to always have Best-Interest of the New-Muslim in Mind!!! They’re vulnerable, curious, probably insecure, as well as very doubtful. It doesn’t benefit them, if we’re not sensitive to the fact that they’re new to al-Islām & require ar-Rahmah/Mercy & as-Sabr/Patience. Allah has mandated that we educate All-Persons properly about al-Islam, whether they’re Muslim-Born or Muslim-Revert, whether thry’ve been Muslims for 50-Seconds or for 50-Years. If or when we fail at that, we’ll be held accountable for any Misconception, Deviation, Confusion, Arrogance, etc. we impose upon anyone.
Gareth Bryant