New to Islam? Start here: free guides for new Muslims
Welcome. Whether you said the Shahadah last week or are still finding out about Islam, these short guides answer the questions new Muslims ask first, in plain English. There is no rush and nothing to buy: take them one at a time, in the order below.
Free, online, at your own pace
Want it all in one place? Take the free course
Tayseer is the International Islamic College's free course for new Muslims: 41 short video lessons in four levels, in plain English, with a teacher who replies to your recordings and the College's own certificate of completion at the end. Sign-up is open now and the lessons open soon.
Getting started
Your first week, in order, and a free course that teaches it step by step.
- I just became Muslim. What do I do now? Your first week, step by stepA calm first-week guide for new Muslims: what the Shahadah means, the Ghusl, learning to pray step by step, who to ask, and a free course that teaches it all.
- A free online course for new Muslims: what to look for, and one you can start todayLooking for a free online Islam course for new Muslims, reverts or converts? What a good first course covers, how Tayseer works, who it is for, and its limits.
Belief
What you testified to, and what Muslims believe, in plain English.
- How to become Muslim: the Shahadah, what it means, and what to sayWhat to say to become Muslim: the words of the Shahadah and their English meaning, what each testimony asks of you, saying it truthfully, and what comes next.
- Islam for beginners: what Muslims believe, in plain EnglishThe five pillars of Islam and the six pillars of Iman explained simply for beginners: Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and Qadar.
Purity
The full wash, the wash before prayer, and what breaks it.
- How to do Ghusl step by step, and when it is requiredGhusl step by step in plain English: the minimum full wash, the complete Sunnah way, when Ghusl is required, and the Ghusl a new Muslim does on accepting Islam.
- How to make Wudu step by step (and what breaks it)Wudu step by step in plain English: what you need, the six obligatory acts in order, the full Sunnah way, what breaks Wudu, and the worries beginners have.
- What breaks Wudu? A simple list, and what does not break itWhat breaks Wudu, in plain English: the toilet and wind, deep sleep, touching the private parts, camel meat; what does not break it, and what to do when unsure.
Prayer
The five daily prayers step by step, and the few Arabic words they need.
- How to pray Salah for beginners: the five prayers, step by stepLearn to pray step by step: the five daily prayers and their times, what you need before you start, the shape of a Rak'ah, and how long it takes to learn.
- Do I need to learn Arabic to be Muslim? The words of the prayer, made simpleDo you need Arabic to be Muslim, or can you pray in English? The few words of the prayer, why al-Fatihah matters, learning the meanings, and how to learn them.
Fasting
How to fast your first Ramadan, and what to do if you cannot.
These guides are written by the International Islamic College from the same trusted books the course is built on, and they say so when a question needs a scholar rather than a guide. Have a question they do not answer? Your local masjid is a good first place to ask, and inside the course you can send a question privately to the College.