The new Muslim or Muslimah revert retains the blessings
for all good deeds performed before
reversion to Al-Islam! Yet
we are forgiven for our past sins upon embracing Islam! Masha'Allah!
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari (#70) and
Muslim
Hakim ibn Hizam said to the Prophet
,
"You know that in the days before Islam I used to maintain family ties, free
slaves, and give charity. Will I be rewarded for any of those deeds?"
The Prophet
replied, "You accepted Islam with all the good you
did in the past."
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Anfal
8:38
Say to those who have disbelieved, if they
cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto),
then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as
a warning).
Reverts whose parents are not Muslim, are instructed
to still maintain ties with their non-Muslim family. However, they
should not look to the non-Muslim family members as Auliya (supporters,
maintainers, friends). (Please read about Auliya by clicking
here).
Reverts must not obey a parent or anyone who
attempts to influence disobedience to Allah, subhana watala.
The Noble Qur'an - Luqmaan 31:14,
15
And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful
and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon
weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me
and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.
But if they (both) strive with you to make
you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then
obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path
of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be
your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.
Hadith - Bukhari (#47), Muslim, Dawud,
and Tirmidhi
Kulayb ibn Manfa'ah told us, "My grandfather
asked the prophet of Allah
with whom he should maintain good relations. (The Prophet
replied,) 'Your mother and father, your sister and
brother, and then your next of kin. (This is) an essential responsibility
and a relationship that must be maintained.'"
Hadith - Bukhari (#24), Muslim, Dawud,
and Ahmad
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said, "Four verses in the
Qur'an were revealed concerning me. My mother had sworn an oath not
to eat or drink until I had part company with Muhammad
.
So Allah [swt] revealed: "But if they (both)
strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which
you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world
kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in
obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what
you used to do." [The Noble Qur'an - Luqman 31:15]
Hadith - Bukhari (#25), Muslim, and
Dawud
Asma' bint Abi Bakr, said, "My mother (who
has not yet embraced Islam) visited me in order to restore good relations
after the Prophet's treaty (of Hudaybiyah). I asked the Prophet
if I should have anything to do with her, and he replied,
'Yes.' Ibn 'Uyayhan (one of the narrators in
the chain) said, "Allah revealed the following concerning her:
"Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and
kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did
not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal
with equity." [The Noble Qur'an 60:8]
Reverts should invite their family members to Islam
Hadith - Bukhari (#34), Muslim and
Ahmad
Abu Kathir said, "I heard Abu Hurayrah say,
'Everyone who has heard of me, even Jews and Christians, has loved me. You
see, I wanted my mother to accept Islam, but she kept on refusing. I
would tell her that she should, but she would refuse. So I went to
the Prophet
and asked him to pray to Allah for her, which he did. When I went home
to her that day, (I found that) she had closed the door. (Once I went inside,)
She said to me, 'O Abu Hurayrah! I have embraced Islam.' When
I gave the news to the Prophet
,
I asked him to pray for me and my mother. So he said,
'O Allah, Your servants, Abu Hurayrah and his mother,
make them beloved to all people!'"
If one makes a halal (Islamically permissable) oath
before becoming Muslim, s/he should still try to fulfill that oath after
becoming Muslim.
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 8.688, Narrated Ibn Umar,
r.a.
'Umar said "O Allah's Apostle! I vowed to perform
I'tikaf for one night in Al-Masjid-al-Haram, during the Pre-Islamic Period
of ignorance (before embracing Islam)." The Prophet said, "Fulfill your
vow."
Do not pray for forgiveness of non-Muslims, even if
s/he is a family member.
The Noble Qur'an - At-Taubah
9:113-114
It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe
to ask Allah's Forgiveness for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters,
pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), even though they be of kin,
after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire
(because they died in a state of disbelief).
And Ibrahim's (Abraham) invoking (of Allah) for his
father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he [Ibrahim (Abraham)]
that he (his father) is an enemy of Allah, he disassociated himself from
him. Verily Ibrahim (Abraham) was Awwah (one who invokes Allah
with humility, glorifies Him and remembers Him much) and was forbearing.
(Tafsir Al-Qurtubi).
Related Links:
Questions and Answers
from new reverts
Shahada
Action Items for
the
uttaqun:
-
Maintain ties with
family, even if they are non-Muslim, but do not allow yourself to be
oppressed.
-
Do not obey a parent
or anyone whose actions are directing you away from
al-Islam.
-
Do not pray for the
forgiveness of a non-Muslim, even if s/he is a family
member.
-
Show kindness in dealing
with a parent who does not fight against you on account of your
faith.
-
Encourage family to
embrace Al-Islam.
Remember... Allah, subhana watala,
sees everything we do!
