If you want to confirm Islam and live your life as a Muslim, focus on faith. Be proud of your identity as a Muslim and understand the religion better. Fulfill the pillars of Islam and carry them out in earnest, paying attention to every action. Build friendships with other Muslims, and get involved in fardu kifayah in mosques and with other groups in society.
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Method 1 of 2: Strengthening Faith
Step 1. Fulfill the pillars of Islam
The pillars of Islam are the foundation of the life of all Muslims. Living life as a Muslim means it is obligatory to fulfill it. To be a devout Muslim, you must not neglect this obligation. Perform your obligations every day with sincerity, and plan other obligations carefully. The five pillars of Islam are:
- Say the creed. To become a Muslim, you must say the shahada. Say clearly, "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
- Perform the five daily prayers. Establish prayers five times a day facing the Qibla
- Fasting in the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a holy month. Fill it with prayer, fasting, and charity..
- Pay zakat. Distribute 2.5% of earnings to people who are entitled to receive it.
- Hajj. If you can afford it, you must perform the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life.
Step 2. Read the Koran as often as possible
Understand Islam firsthand from authentic sources. You will be able to strengthen your faith even more if you understand the language used in the Koran. Get in the habit of reading the Koran for at least a few minutes every day, and at times when you feel your faith is weakening or your focus on Allah is diminishing.
- Read the verse aloud and try to perfect the pronunciation.
- Try to always remember Allah throughout the day, when working or doing other routines. Moisturize the lips with dhikr to instill awareness of the power and greatness of Allah.
Step 3. Establish the obligatory and sunnah prayers
In addition to the obligatory prayers five times a day, devout Muslims who are moved also perform sunnah prayers. You can pray alone, but to strengthen your faith, go to the mosque. Congregational prayer has its own privileges.
- Although the obligatory prayers usually only take five minutes, you can extend the time by adding sunnah prayers.
- Tahajud is a very special sunnah prayer, performed at midnight when Allah descends to the lowest heaven.
- Add a personal prayer after prayer or anytime. Ask for help, guidance, and protection from Allah. Give thanks for His bounty, and glorify His wisdom and generosity.
- Repentance is very important in the daily routine of every Muslim. Confess your sins even if they are small, with a promise not to repeat them and ask Allah's forgiveness. God always forgives His people, but only when we sincerely ask and repent of our mistakes.
- Cry while praying, if necessary, because crying reflects the fear of God's punishment and presents a willingness to submit to His will.
- Vary your routine so that you can concentrate and feel close to Allah when you pray, and not just move around aimlessly. If your mind wanders off to something else, you will make a mistake, and the prayer will become invalid and unacceptable.
Step 4. Donate time and money to people in need
Even though zakat is an obligation for all Muslims, we are free to spend assets other than 2.5% zakat. If your income is large, spend more than the 2.5% required for a charity represented by a trusted organization. If you have extra time, donate time to a charitable organization. If you have a special ability that can help large numbers of people, consider donating your labor and expertise to voluntary and nonprofit organizations that cannot afford to hire professionals.
Step 5. Take part in fardu kifayah
Fardu kifayah is a shared obligation. Some or one member of the Muslim community is obliged to carry out fardu kifayah, and after it is carried out, others are free from this obligation. For example, if a Muslim dies, several Muslims in the community must perform the funeral prayer together. This prayer is not obligatory for all. However, if no one does it, the whole community is sinful.
- Go forward to perform fardu kifayah if no one does it.
- Think of fardu kifayah in a larger sense. Can Muslims in your community initiate movements to donate food to hungry people, improve infrastructure, or participate in local politics?
Method 2 of 2: Confirming Identity
Step 1. Defend your identity and that of other Muslims
Muslims are often portrayed in a negative image by various political groups for their own sake. You don't have to fight back every time you hear a negative statement about Islam, but say something if you feel safe and have the energy to do so.
- If you hear someone equating Islam with extremism, say, "I'm a Muslim, and I don't like the idea that all Muslims are violent. It's not based on facts, as if I and the people I love are dangerous."
- Defend other Muslims if you see them being the target of violence. If you see a woman being abused, approach her and have a friendly chat to take power from the person who is harassing her.
Step 2. Wear clothes that express your faith
Muslims are expected to dress discreetly, but dress styles vary widely depending on sects and regions. Take the circumstances into account, and wear whatever clothing expresses your religious beliefs.
- Even if your family doesn't cover up, you can choose to wear long sleeves, a headscarf, or even a niqab if you think it will further define your identity.
- If you're not wearing an Islamic symbol that clearly looks like a headscarf, consider using a pin on your clothes or a car sticker that conveys the message of Islam.
- Take care of yourself. If you visit or live in an area where there would be a physical risk of displaying (or not displaying) your Islamic identity, make the necessary compromises to keep yourself safe.
Step 3. Follow or form a gathering group
Consider joining a youth group, volunteer work, or meeting with other Muslims. Look for information on the mosque. If you are still in school, there are usually Muslim student groups or religious groups you can join.
- Encourage fellow Muslims to develop and deepen Islamic knowledge in order to better understand worship to Allah.
- Celebrate holidays together, attend gatherings, organize protests, hold celebrations, and other events in the community.
- Form a letter writing committee to contact local politicians about regulations that will affect other Muslims, such as the issue of refugees from Muslim-majority countries.
