By Editorial Staff

It is the inhabitants of Paradise who are the winners. (Al-Hashr59:20)

The question: Good evening. My name is Satish. I am a non-Muslim. However, I believe in the philosophy of Islam. Will I get a place in paradise?

The answer: If you believe in Islam, there is no reason for not to convert to Islam, because belief in Islam necessarily leads to the action.
In Islam, faith leads to the action. I will give you an example. If your boss tells you that you must complete such and such project within the next week and whoever will not do would be fired.

If you truly believe in your boss and you need that job, you are not going to be lazy in that job and you are going to work hard so that you will make sure that when the weeks finish, you have finished the work.

If the weather forecast says that it is going to rain severely, you will take precautions or you will take an umbrella, because you believe in this fact, and you will act upon it.

In Islam, faith necessitates the action; when you have true faith, you must proclaim that faith, you must announce it by the testimony “Ash-hadu Al-la Ilaha Illa-llahu Wahdahu La Shareeka Lahu Wa-Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu Wa Rasuluh.” (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.)

And once you have announced testimony of faith you must act upon it by praying to God, by giving charity to the poor, by fasting the month of Ramadan. You must show your devotion and dedication in action and in word and in belief and this is a fundamental point in Islam.

So, I ask you: if you are ready to embrace Islam, if you believe in Islam, then why don’t you embrace it, why do not you accept Islam? We do not know when death will come to us, we do not know when the angel of death will arrive and take our souls away.

What is preventing you from taking this important step? A step that is more important than any other decision that you have made. I ask you right here and now that if you believe in Islam that you should embrace it or you are willing to do so. If you are willing to do so just raise your hand.

Al-Hamdulillah (all praise is for Allah)! Allahu Akbar (God is great). Al-Hamdulillah (all praise is for Allah)! Al-Hamdulillah (all praise is for Allah)! Please stay at the mike. You can have your microphone turned on again. If your microphone does not turn on, please, come to the stage.

(Now Satish is embracing Islam):

Actually I want to come to the stage. Allahu Akbar (God is great!). We have brother Satish Babu in front of us today, who has studied Islam and has come to the realization and conclusion that this is indeed the ultimate and the only and the legitimate religion from Allah (Glory be to him).

Today is the day that Al-Hamdulillah (all praise is for Allah)! Allah (`Azza wa Jall) has placed in his heart the intention and will to revert to Islam and it is a great honor and pleasure to all of us here that we are witnessing this event.

Satish! I will say the testimony in Arabic and I want you to repeat after me, Okay?
Can you come here?
The speaker: Ash hadu
Satish: Ash hadu.
The speaker: An laa
Satish: An la
The speaker: Ilaha
Satish: Ilaha
The speaker: Illallah
Satish: Illallah
The speaker: Wa
Satish: Wa
The speaker: Ash hadu
Satish: Ash hadu
The speaker: Anna
Satish: Anna
The speaker: Muhammadan
Satish: Muhammadan
The speaker: Rasulullah
Satish: Rasulullah
The speaker: I bear witness and testify
Satish: I bear witness and testify
The speaker: that there is no god that is worthy of worship.
Satish: that there is no god that is worthy of worship.
The speaker: except for Allah
Satish: except for Allah
The speaker: And I bear witness and testify
Satish: And I bear witness and testify
The speaker: that Muhammad is His messenger
Satish: that Muhammad is His messenger.

Takbeer. Takbir. Takbir.This is a great honor and pleasure for us, brothers, and this is not a joke. I want you take his phone number and take his address and invite him over to your house. He has now joined your family. It is our family.

We must welcome him with open arms. I want you to invite him over and congratulate him and treat him like he was your blood brother. He is more important to us than our blood brother. He is our new brother in Islam. You have a large family in front of you.

This family will take care of your needs. We are all sitting here for you. Brothers! I want you to make sure that you teach this brother how to pray, how to fast, how to read the Qur’an. You invite him over for `Eid.

Brothers and sisters! If you do not do this, then who is going to do it? On `Eid day who is going to invite him over and show him the spirit of `Eid. He does not have any family members who are Muslim, so you are his family. You need to take him, so when he goes down the stage, I want to make sure he does not get to his car until at least one hundred of you have taken down his name and phone number and you are going to invite him over for the best food or the best dishes. Treat him like your brother; real brother and teach him about Islam, show him the true spirit of Islam and Insha’Allah (by the Grace of Allah) may Allah make him a means of guidance for the rest family and relatives.