To become a Muslim one must simply pronounce the “Shahada” with sincerity and conviction. The Shahada can be declared as:

The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality, or ethnic background. Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. One may convert alone in privacy, or he/she may do so in the presence of others. If anyone wants to become a Muslim, then all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada” (the testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Quran and prophetic sayings both stress the importance of following Islam. According to the Holy Quran:

“The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will)...” (Surah Al Imran, Ayat 19)

“Whoever seeks a faith other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” (Surah Al Imran, Ayat 85)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "If anyone testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's Slave and His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few." (Junada, the sub-narrator said, " 'Ubada added, 'Such a person can enter Paradise through any of its eight gates he likes.' ") (Reported in Bukhari)

This Hadith confirms that all Prophets of Allah SWT were human beings and thus refutes those who attribute divinity to them and exclude them from the category of men or regard them as a part of God.

Preparation for “Shahada”: The person who wants to become a Muslim should preferably perform ablution (Wuzoo) or take a bath (Ghusal) before reciting the Shahada. To become a Muslim, one can recite the Shahada in front of any Muslim. If one does not get a chance of ablution or a bath and recites the Shahada, even then he or she will be considered a Muslim.  If he or she declares his Islam to other Muslims, then they will accept this declaration. 

If a person becomes a Muslim and he or she was unclean due to any reason for example having sexual intercourse or after the menstrual cycle, and if in such a condition he or she has not taken a bath or if he or she has taken a bath but the bath was not valid as per Islamic instructions then it is necessary for him or her to have a proper bath in the Islamic way after accepting Islam.

If someone is clean before accepting Islam, then taking a new bath before reciting Shahada is not necessary, but is considered a good practice. If someone wants to take a bath then the following are some of its basics:

In Islam, there is a prescribed method for taking a bath however if a person takes a normal bath for example takes a shower, and has performed the following three activities during the bath then his or her Ghusal (Islamic way of bath) will be valid. These are the obligatory actions required for a Ghusal:

1. Water has reached all the body parts, including the hair, leaving no part dry.  

2. One has thoroughly rinsed the mouth with water.

3. Water is taken inside the nostrils to clean the nose from the inside till the soft part of the nose.

Some other advice related to the bath is that before starting to wash, one should be sure that he or she has concealed himself from others. Place the clothes and the towel in a clean place. When using soap, this must be followed by clean water so that none of the soap remains on the body. This is required when washing is obligatory. Bathing in a bathtub is permitted, provided that one follows this by taking a shower to guarantee that all impurities have been removed.

WHAT IS NEXT AFTER "SHAHADA"? 

When someone pronounces the testimony (Shahada) with conviction, then he or she has become a Muslim.  It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with the help of a Muslim so that he or she may help you pronounce the Shahada and provide you with important resources for the new Muslims.

When people accept Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. After accepting Islam, a person’s record is cleaned, and it is as if he or she were just born from his mother’s womb. According to the Holy Quran, “And those who believed and did righteous deeds and believed in that which is revealed to Muhammad, and it is the truth (that has come) from their Lord, He will write off their evil deeds, and will set aright their state of affairs.” (Surah Muhammad, Ayat 2) One should, however, try as much as possible to keep his or her records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible in the future.

What would be the next step after declaring oneself a Muslim? One should then learn the real concept underlying the testimony, which means the Oneness of Allah SWT and meet its requirements. One must behave accordingly, applying this true faith to everything one speaks or does. We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that there is no God but Allah SWT, it implies on our part love, devotion, faith, and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation, which are legally binding on all Muslims. 

If you are a non-Muslim, I again invite you to Islam. Allah states in the Holy Quran, “Let there be no compulsion in religion.  Truth stands out clear from error; whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks.  And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.” (Surah Baqarah, Ayat 256).

But one must be careful. Unfortunately, today one can find many groups and sects claiming to be the best Muslims. However, not all of them are exactly on the right path. Some among them are deviated sects while others are even out of the folds of Islam. For example, Qadyanis or Ahmadis do not consider Prophet Muhammad PBUH as the last Prophet from God. They believe in the false prophethood of another person therefore they are out of the folds of Islam. One should be careful not to follow such groups or deviated sects.