Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Inshallah you can help me, i need to know whether i have to do my shahada. I married a born muslim 14 years ago in a masjid, i did not know what the shahada was i was told to repeat what the imam said and we would be married but i was not given a certificate. I was in a haram marriage and we did not follow very well the straight path, now alhamdulilah i have separated and now i am following as-sirat-al-mustaqim but do i need to do the shahada Jazak Allah

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Revert shahadaah certificate

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, rest absolutely assured that as soon as one declares the ‘shahaadah’ or testification of faith that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Prophet Mohamed (saws) is the Last and Final Messenger of Allah….one would be deemed to be a legal ‘muslim’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, Shariah Law, and of the believers.  Every single right that is due to a believer would be accorded to the revert brother or sister in full after their declaration of the ‘shahaadah’.

 

There is absolutely no need, or requirement, or obligation for one to go to a worldly or a Shariah Court of Law, or a Masjid, or an Islamic Centre, etc. and declare one’s intention to become a muslim, if one does not wish to do so!  If one’s heart is convinced regarding the Absolute Oneness of Allah Subhanah and the appointment of Prophethood of Prophet Mohamed (saws), even if one were to declare the ‘shahaadah’ in one’s own heart….one would be a believer in the Sight of Allah Subhanah; for the Lord All-Knowing Knows the very secrets of one’s hearts!

 

The reason some revert brothers and sisters choose to go to court, or the masjid, or an Islamic Centre and declare the ‘shahaadah’ and seek to obtain a document stating them as ‘muslims’ is only so that they would be formally accepted as believers by the society at large, or so that they may fulfill the legal formalities of travel to enable them to visit the Sacred House of Allah in Makkah, or so that all the other rights that are available to muslims can also be legally accorded to them in their society (marriage, inheritance, burial, etc.).

 

But if one who reverts to Islam, for any reason whatsoever, chooses or wishes not to obtain a legal document or certificate classifying their belief as ‘muslims’, they are under absolutely no obligation in Shariah Law to obtain such a document or certificate.  Their intention or declaration of the ‘shahaadah’ in their very hearts more than suffices for them to be regarded as believers in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan