This again is a personal reflection on some of the many ways in which Islam will rightfully start to change your life. It is told from the perspective of a European woman, so some issues may not apply to other converts (reverts).

For a woman, often the first and most obvious change is the wearing of hijab. This is prescribed in the Qur’an, although not all female reverts or women who are born into Islam do wear hijab. For the revert who does want to obey this rule of Allah, she will of course start to encounter a plethora of reactions to being a “flag bearer” of Islam. It will range from a gaze, to a stare, to people no longer talking to you, crossing to the other side of the road, “running away” from you (!), to various silly and islamophobic comments. In rare cases, there is of course the possibility of physical abuse or assault, depending on your country/city of residence. Alhamdulillah, I have experienced no physical abuse to date, but being stared at by a sea of white faces (I am white) at the departure lounge in Doha, waiting for the flight to Perth, being the only hijabi at the gate, is almost enough to send me straight back to Iran…

The other obvious change is the relationship with “friends”. Some friends might be very curious to hear about your conversion, and that could bring about a more profound relationship with them. Others may find it very difficult, because they have so many prejudices about Islam. Being patient could be one response; my own experience has been that I find it very difficult to be around negative, cynical people, as they seem to try to cloak their surroundings in the same negativity. Inshallah, I will become more patient with these people though, as they need the support of believers too. My relationships with certain friends/families came unstuck on the issue of alcohol: sadly, some people are unwilling to respect a Muslim person’s need to socialise, certainly in their own home, in an alcohol free environment.

The good side is that for every acquaintance or friend you lose, you are likely to gain new contacts who are also Muslim, or other faithful believers, or at least open-minded and humanity-loving. The issue of alcohol and sourcing halal meat will inevitably have an impact on your socialising habits. Meeting friends in bars is no longer a viable option. As I myself am lazy and am not always organised enough to make the special trip to halal butchers, my diet has become largely vegetarian in the West. Coming to Iran is bliss, generally no need to worry about food.

As a hijabi, and if you have children, you may also have to deal with your children’s response to their mother suddenly wearing hijab. Fortunately, my children never had an issue (except for my 5 year old son who said I looked like a witch the first time I tried on hijab, he got over it very quickly though).

Incorporating the daily prayers into your routine is not that onerous, but do get someone to explain them to you. How to pray is an ongoing learning process, I have only been observing prayers for a year, with very much to learn. You may have to be resourceful to observe prayers depending on your workplace.

If you are converting to Islam because you are marrying a Muslim person, you will be able to rely for guidance on that person, their family and circle of friends. If however you are reverting “on your own”, you will need a support network. You will need to find a community/mosque/Islamic centre that seems welcoming and does not promote Wahhabism. Perhaps join a sisters’ or brothers’ group. Hopefully you already had some of this in place before you reverted!

A bigger question could be how your status as Muslim person affects a relationship/marriage you are in. For a male revert, this is more straightforward, as Muslim men may marry other People of the Book. For a female revert, it could be advisable to consult with knowledgable religious people or scholars, if you have any concern. In any case, Allah SWT will always lead you to the best solution. Of course, if you have children, you will need to address the issue of how to raise them in an Islamic way.

You will certainly have to read widely amongst Islamic literature, an immense field of scholarship. No other faith encompasses such a vast range of literature. As a Muslim, it is your duty to add to your knowledge every single day of your life, and it is recommended that you even travel to (China) to further your knowledge. You may want to become actively involved in religious education as a student, and/or in political activism. For some Muslims in the West, there comes the realisation that living in the West does not allow them to fully develop their faith. In that case, you will have to explore options to relocate to a Muslim majority country.

In other words, your whole life will change, and you may find that not one person from your pre-conversion life remains with you on this path. However, Allah SWT will provide for you with everything you need. He will take away from you what you do not need or is not good for you (if you ask for this). May you be blessed on your journey.