We live in a time where we have more masjids in the US than ever, and many Islamic businesses have been taking off. This is a major blessing supplied to us through the Mercy of Allah. Yet despite this immense progress, many of our brothers and sisters still lack an in-person community where they can feel safe to progress. This is a far cry from the society the Prophet SAW built. When one of the Quraysh accepted Islam, they would be welcomed in with open arms and taught by their very best, ensuring that their brother or sister would have the foundation needed to settle into their new life and become the best version of themselves, and would even give up half of their wealth for them. The gap between the sunnah and the reality of welcoming Muslims hurts reverts deeply and, in some circumstances, can be a contributing factor in someone leaving the deen. Which is why, as part of our efforts at the ICNA MAS convention in Baltimore, Embrace leadership dedicated one of our speaking slots to exploring the depth of this issue and the importance of our coming together, as leadership, to make our masjids feel safer for our new Muslim brothers and sisters.

Shaykh Mikael Smith mentioned a story about a couple where the fiancé was interested in converting, and the soon-to-be groom was looking for someone to speak to her. The Shaykh agreed, and she was receptive; however, when he researched their town, he realized that not one masjid there would be equipped to help her, either because they were too culturally restrictive or their women’s sections were not ideal. In this couple’s case, they were able to fly out to Dallas and connect with some like-minded people while she took her shahadah.

That is a very rare privilege.

Well, there was an American woman who was given dawah over lunch with three people. During the meal, she became convinced that Islam is the truth and wanted to take her shahadah. Yet when they took her to the local imam, his response was less than pleased; he accused the three da’i (people who give dawah) of pressuring her into taking her shahadah. As a result, she had to take it three times. This already starts her relationship with other Muslims off on the wrong foot, and to make matters worse, the imam refused to let the group actually reach the woman about the deen because it included men. Now, ideally, this is where the other women who attended there would step up and help her, but they didn’t, or were unable to connect.

While this is at the extreme end of how the wrong masjid can harm a revert, stories like this occur under our noses often, and until we can come together and recognize that this is a problem that stifles our brothers and sisters, we cannot fix it.

Technically, this is true. Allah knows who will ultimately be receptive to Islam; however, what if their time as a Muslim was to test your willingness to help someone of a different background? Are you willing to risk someone- may Allah protect us from this- testifying against you on the day of judgment, saying that they went to you for help and you made them feel unwelcome?

The answer is no, because in the Qur’an Allah tells us to use what He blessed us with to help others:

“You will never achieve righteousness until you donate some of what you cherish. And whatever you give is certainly well known to Allah.” -3:92

If we have the means, then we should take measures to help make new Muslims feel welcome. If they leave after that, we will know that we at least tried our best.

We can’t force masjids to be more accepting of reverts, but we can use our unique talents to build programs that help others feel comfortable.

As individuals, we can’t do everything: Allah didn’t make us independent; rather, He gave us unique traits and talents specifically so we can work together to achieve the greatest good in society for the sake of His favor. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.” -49:13

Meaning, if you know your masjid doesn’t have the infrastructure to help reverts, then you can invite them out to lunch or suggest programs that fit within your skill set. This can look like casual hangouts to new Muslim classes. The beauty in that is that you don’t always need to wait for your masjid’s approval; you can take the initiative.

When deciding how we can best contribute, we should study what’s already there and learn from those who are achieving the goals we aspire to. For demonstration, I selected a few of our favorite revert programs and their impact.

Roots is a coffee shop and community located in Dallas, Texas that hosts several regular events aimed at reaching Muslim demographics that can often feel left out: teens, elders, and reverts. Their flagship new Muslim program is simple: dedicate a space in their community coffee shop to establish a social circle where reverts can come together to talk about a specific topic, for example, “What is a struggle you’ve faced this week?” That simplicity is precisely why so many find comfort in Root’s programming: they feel safe expressing their feelings and are surrounded by like-minded individuals.
You can learn more about this program at https://www.rootsdfw.org/

Sunday Revert Reflections is an online halaqa run through our Embrace NY+ chapter aiming to teach reverts about the names of Allah practically and reflectively. What makes the program unique is its two-segment format: the first is a review that encourages attendees to reflect on verses from the Qur’an and how they can see last week’s lesson in their lives. After the review period, the program transitions into a new name of Allah covered by a different guest speaker each week. The format uses its time efficiently to provide an open, supportive space while teaching from a diverse set of perspectives. The program takes place every Sunday from 9 a.m.- 10 a.m. EST.
You can join our sessions here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81917015027?pwd=dTVreXJLQXFzdVNrTUp0aVpZUzdJUT09

One of Embrace’s longest-running online programs, it offers revert women a welcoming environment where they can speak about any topic they need to without worrying about being judged. The program runs from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. EST every Saturday.
You can learn more about this program here: https://embracereverts.org/sisters-virtual-coffee-tea-chat/

The programs I highlighted show that a significant number of reverts want spaces where they can feel secure enough to open up about how they’re feeling and provide their perspectives on issues that affect their daily lives. Lectures are beautiful, but that is only one aspect of bringing others closer to ilm; if we look through Islamic history, we see that the greatest scholars had close relationships with their teachers, as their predecessors were just as concerned about mentorship as they were about the pen and paper knowledge. So, learning circles and these meetups are the first step in closing the gap between

When someone reverts, they do have a lot to catch up on, and there may be a temptation to teach them the essentials and tell them to completely transform themselves quickly; however, this is not the standard the first generations set. Allah sent the Qur’an over a period of twenty-three years, and many of the addictions common amongst the Quraysh were addressed as they became ready for them. Following this, we need to remember the same: taking the shahadah is the first of many steps of implementing the principles of tazkiyah (spiritual purification) into our lives. These programs work because the pacing keeps this principle in mind and introduces ilm in a manageable way, encouraging attendees to improve as they become ready. This approach also helps attendees discover their individual interests and talents, which in the long term, create healthy, well-rounded leaders.

When someone reverts, they do have a lot to catch up on, and there may be a temptation to teach them the essentials and tell them to completely transform themselves quickly; however, this is not the standard the first generations set. Allah sent the Qur’an over a period of twenty-three years, and many of the addictions common amongst the Quraysh were addressed as they became ready for them. Following this, we need to remember the same: taking the shahadah is the first of many steps of implementing the principles of tazkiyah (spiritual purification) into our lives. These programs work because the pacing keeps this principle in mind and introduces ilm in a manageable way, encouraging attendees to improve as they become ready. This approach also helps attendees discover their individual interests and talents, which in the long term, create healthy, well-rounded leaders.