A Catholic man wants to marry a Muslim woman and is thinking about Islam

Who has instilled in you the desire to
enter Islam. We thank you for your question about how to enter the religion
of Allaah, for no one will be saved on the Day of Resurrection but those who
follow it. Allaah says in the Holy Qur’aan:

“And whoever seeks a religion other
than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will
be one of the losers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

Entering Islam is very
easy and is not a complicated matter. All you have to do is to utter the
Shahaadatayn (the twin testimony of faith), which is the key to Islam and
the sum and basis of the faith. You have to say “Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah (I bear witness
that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah)”; then take a bath (ghusl) with the intention of
purifying yourself in order to pray and practise the rituals of the Islamic
religion, the greatest of which is prayer, which connects the person to his
Lord. For more details on how to do that, see Question no. 13340 and 11497.
You also have to believe with certainty that ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son
of Mary – peace be upon him) is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, not a
god or the son of God; rather he is a human being whom Allaah sent with the
Message of Divine Oneness (Tawheed) and that only Allaah is to be
worshipped, with no partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meanings): 

“No son (or offspring)
did Allaah beget, nor is there any ilaah (god) along with Him”

[al-Mu’mineen 23:91] 

“The Messiah [‘Eesa
(Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the
Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a
Siddeeqah [i.e. she believed in the Words of Allaah and His Books (see Verse
66:12)]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allaah
does not eat)”

[al-Maa’idah 5:75]

 This shows you that Islam respects ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be
upon him) and his mother, without exaggerating about them or falling into
shirk (polytheism, the association of others in worship with Allaah).

 We would also like to point out that although the motive for
your becoming Muslim at this stage may be your desire to marry a Muslim
woman, if you become Muslim and learn more about this religion and really
put it into practice in your life, then your faith will become stronger,
your intention will become purely for the sake of Allaah and you will have
the conviction that this religion is indeed true and the soul cannot be
purified except through this religion.

 We are optimistic that you will have a happy future, because
of the good start you mention in your question, which makes us optimistic,
especially when we ponder the words of the Qur’aan (interpretation of the
meaning):

 “And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his heart to
Islam”

[al-An’aam 6:125]

 We ask Allaah to open your heart to the religion and help
you to enter it. No doubt this will be good news for the Muslim woman whom
you will marry, for she will know that she cannot marry you unless you
become Muslim, as is the law of the Lord of the Worlds. We welcome you to
join us on this site as a questioner or reader, or to cooperate with us in
doing good. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all
his family and companions.