I have a Christian servant whom I always talk to about Islam and endear it to her. Later, she decided to adopt Islam out of total conviction. What are the procedures she should follow to announce her adoption of Islam? Should she go to a Shaykh and announce that she has embraced Islam? What are the things I should teach her?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Islam is the religion of Allaah The Almighty and all his slaves were created with Islam as their innate religion.

Embracing Islam does not need any rites or official procedures because it is a return to the innate inclination with which man is born. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stated that every human being is born on the Fitrah (sound innate disposition), i.e., knowing Allaah The Almighty and acknowledging His existence and oneness, but it is his parents who make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian. This is like an animal that is born perfect and free of all defects, but is afflicted by changes from its owners.

This woman has to immediately utter the two testimonies of Islam, but it is not a condition that this be done in front of a scholar or a Sharee‘ah-based court. As soon as she utters them with complete conviction of their meaning, she becomes a Muslim with all the rights and duties of Muslims.

After that, you must teach her prayers, including the conditions for their validity, such as purification, and then the other pillars of Islam. You have also to teach her to obey the commandments of Allaah The Almighty and to keep away from His prohibitions. When you go back to your country, register her adoption of Islam in the Sharee‘ah-based court and change her official documents that refer to her old religion, so that she can marry a Muslim and manage all other matters that require a certificate indicating a person's religion.

I ask Allaah The Almighty to add the reward of inviting this woman to Islam to the record of your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told Ali ibn Abi Taalib that if just one person were guided to Islam through him, this is better for him than large amounts of money and wealth. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Also, rejoice in the fact that you will have an equal reward to the reward of all the acts of worship this woman observes. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, indicated that whoever calls others to a good act will have an equal reward to that of all who follow him in doing this, without diminishing anything from their rewards. (Muslim)  The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also indicated that whoever guides any one to goodness will have an equal reward with the person who does it.

Allaah Knows best.