The first thing a person should do after declaring the two testimonies of faith (the Shahadatayn) and entering Islam is to perform a complete ritual bath (ghusl).

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen stated that it is obligatory for a new Muslim to perform ghusl upon converting, based on the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Qays ibn 'Asim when he became Muslim. This act of purification symbolizes a fresh start, both physically and spiritually.

Crucially, a new Muslim should know with certainty that by sincerely embracing Islam, all of their previous sins are completely forgiven, no matter how great or numerous they were. Islam erases everything that came before it. The past is wiped clean, and they begin with a clean slate before Allah.

After the ghusl, the most important priority is to learn the essentials of the faith. This begins with understanding the meaning of the Shahada: 'La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadun Rasulullah' (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). This involves learning the basics of Tawhid (pure monotheism) and what it means to worship Allah alone, without any partners.

The next immediate step is to learn how to perform the five daily prayers (Salah), as prayer is the second and most important pillar of Islam after the Shahada. The new Muslim should strive to learn the conditions, pillars, and obligatory parts of the prayer as soon as possible, and begin establishing them at their appointed times.

From there, one should gradually learn the other pillars of Islam—Zakat, Sawm (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj—and other fundamentals of belief and practice. It is also recommended for males to be circumcised.