We should know that Allah made it obligatory upon all of us to enter Islam fully and hold on to it, and warned humans against following other than Islam. We do not do any favour to Allah nor to others by becoming Muslim but rather we benefit ourselves. We learn how to pass this exam we were sent to earth for and thus save ourselves from the hellfire and live in heaven forever.
Allah also sent His Prophet Muhammad to call the whole of mankind Islam. Allah has informed us in the Quran that, guided are those who follow the teachings of Islam, and misguided are those who reject them. He warned us in many Verses against the causes of apostasy and all forms of Shirk and disbelief.
Islamic scholars have mentioned that there are a number of invalidators that can take one out of the fold of Islam.
I have briefly cited the ten most critical of these invalidators so that you will avoid them and make others aware of them.
1 . To associate others with Allah in worship.
The Quran says:
“Verily! Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom he pleases sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has indeed strayed far away.” ( 4: 116)
“Whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, Allah will forbid him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode. For the wrongdoers there are no helpers.” (Soorah 5:72)
FORMS OF WORSHIP
Forms of worship include:-
1 calling upon the dead, seeking their assistance, offering sacrifices to them, and taking vows in their names.
2. To set up intermediaries between oneself and Allah, seeking their intercession and putting absolute trust in them. Those who do so are unanimously considered disbelievers.
3. Not to accuse polytheists and those who commit Shirk of disbelief, to be in doubt as to their being disbelievers, or to approve of their beliefs.
4. To believe that the Prophet’s guidance is not complete or perfect or that other people’s ruling and judgment is better than his. Those who prefer the rule of false gods are blatant disbelievers.
5 . Those who hate anything that the Prophet came with are also disbelievers even if they act upon them. The Quran says:
“That is because they hate that which Allah sent down, so He has made their deeds fruitless.” (Soorah 47:9)
6. Those who ridicule anything that Islam came with, such as punishment and reward in the Hereafter, are disbelievers. The Quran says:
“Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have rejected Faith after you had accepted it.” (9:65,66)
7. Magic in all its forms, including turning someone away from somebody that he or she loves, and making someone love someone or something he or she does not normally like. Whoever practices magic or approves of it is a disbeliever, as evidenced by the Quranic Verse that says:
“But neither of these (two angels) taught anyone (such things) without saying, We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).” (Soorah 2:102)
8. To take the disbelievers for friends, give them support and assistance against the Muslims is an act of disbelief. The Quran says:
“And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust.” (Soorah 5:51)
9. Those who believe that it is in their power or authority to for sake the law of Islam are disbelievers. The Quran says:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Soorah 3:85)
10. To turn away from Islam and to stubbornly refuse to learn its teachings or act upon them. The Quran says:
“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then he turns away there from? Verily from those who transgress We shall exact (due) retribution.” (Soorah 32:22)
The fourth point mentioned above also includes those people who believe that man-made laws are better than the Islamic Law.
It also includes people who believe that the Islamic Law is not suitable to be implemented in the present century or who falsely claim that Islam or Islamic laws make Muslims backwardness or less advanced in some spheres of life.
It also includes those who falsely claim that Islamic laws are not applicable in other spheres of life apart from regulating one’s personal life with one’s Lord.
It also includes those who believe that it is permissible to dispense with the Islamic Law in matters relating to the social life and the boundary limits for the lawful and the unlawful even if they do not believe that other laws are not better than the Islamic Law. For this means that they have made lawful what Allah had already made unlawful. Whoever makes lawful what Allah has declared unlawful is a disbeliever with the unanimous agreement of all Muslim scholars.
In all of these invalidators, there is no difference between one who does them jokingly, seriously, or in fear, except for one who is compelled against his will. All of these matters are very dangerous and many of them are occurring amongst some Muslims of today. Therefore, it is necessary for the Muslim to beware of them and fear for himself concerning them.
One thing to note is that Islam does not forbid us to be good towards non Muslims who are not hostile towards the Muslims nor forbid us to love our non Muslim family members.
In fact a Muslim must obey their parents, even if they are not Muslims, as long as their request does not go against Islam. There is no obedience to the creation when it involves disobedience to the creator. By you becoming an even more better daughter or a better son, that may even help them come closer to Islam or less hostile to Islam.
We are given a certain lifespan. We do not know when that life span will end. It may end this very minute even. Therefore a person should say the Shahadah and then work on becoming the best Muslim he or she can be.
Some of you will find some aspects of Islam difficult at first. For instance some new Muslim sisters find it difficult to wear Hijab at first.
However with time they have eventually grown in their faith and are now wearing the full Islamic dress and encouraging even sisters born into Muslim families but went astray to wear full Islamic dress.
Please do not worry about any barriers you may have. Become Muslims and you will see those barriers crashing down as you grow in your religion.