Assalamu alaikum (peace, blessings, and mercy of Allah (swt) be upon you).
There is a bidah (innovation) among some Muslim communities that promote "holding shahada" until the arrival of the jummah (Friday) prayer.
1. Do not take shahada unless you know you are ready. If there is any doubt at all left, be sure to ask trustworthy Muslims any lingering questions you still have and insha'Allah (God-willing) they will answer your questions. You do not want to take shahada until you truly believe that there is no God but Allah (swt) and that Muhammad (saw) is His Final Messenger. You do not need to be an expert on Islam to be able to make this decision but you will need to know enough of the basics to know if Islam is the religion you are ready to accept and follow for the rest of your life insha'Allah.
2. Once you have decided that you do believe that there is no God but Allah (swt) and that Muhammad (saw) is His Final Messenger and that Islam is your religion, then do not delay taking shahada. You could die at any time as nobody knows when he will return to Allah (swt). There is a bidah (innovation) where some Muslims encourage a new believer to wait to take their shahada at the next large gathering at a mosque (usually the Friday jummah prayer). I have personally seen new believers "schedule out" their shahada as much as two weeks in advance so that they can ensure the ability insha'Allah to have an imam and large crowd of brothers and sisters present to hear their shahada. Delaying shadaha for this reason is not the best method. The only reason to delay is if you still have doubts and need further questions clarified.
3. Once you are ready to take shahada, if you have at least two Muslims that you know (brothers or sisters) you may contact them right away and take your shahada in front of them (preferably in person). If they are not available, you may absolutely take your shahada by yourself as a shahada taken alone is still valid to Allah (swt). Then after you have taken your shahada by yourself or in front of two witnesses, you may publicly repeat it to the community gathering at the mosque if you choose to do so but it is not required. If you do take shahada alone, you should follow it up with two witnesses when they are present because saying it in front of two or more witnesses then lets the Islamic ummah (community) know you are Muslim. The important thing to remember is that you are taking shahada because this is what your heart believes and your tongue is ready to testify and that you are doing it for none other than the sake of Allah (swt). You are not taking shahada for the purpose of looking good or pleasing other people but for Allah (swt) alone.
4. The shahada is:
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Prophet.
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan rasulullah.
5. It is recommended to perform ghusl (Islamic bath) after having taken your shahada. There are resources online that give step-by-step instructions on how to perform ghusl and you may wish to write them down or print it out so that you can follow the steps easily at the time. Remember that ghsul is recommended after shahadah but not obligatory in that if you choose not to perform ghusl, your shahadah is still valid. Also, upon taking your shahada all of your prior sins are wiped out. You will now be like a newborn baby. This also makes you a prime target for Shaytan to cast doubts and confusions in your mind so you will need to remain strong and steadfast insha'Allah.
Allah (swt) knows best. May He guide you to the truth. Ameen.
That is right. If you feel in your heart that Islam is the truth and you want to become Muslim, then don't wait to take the shahada. Even if you have no one around, say the shahada in your heart and proclaim before God that you are Muslim. This is because one may die anytime. no one knows the time of death. So it's important to take the shahada as soon as you've decided you want to become Muslim.
Some people may be inclined to the Islamic faith but find the rituals (prayers, fasting, etc.) difficult and therefore put off becoming muslim. But the thing is, faith is very important. The Islamic faith is the only one acceptable to Allah and dying with a different faith means going to Hell. So it's important to not let the rituals delay you. Then, when you've become Muslim, go slowly toward the practical actions, learning the various rituals and the words to the prayer. A hadith states that when a person converts, then tell him/her about the 5 daily prayers. After he/she has become steadfast in it, then inform them about the fast of Ramadan, etc. So, it's not right to tell a new convert that s/he has to fast 30 days in Ramadan right from the start. Another hadith (from Aisha R) states that if one were to tell someone to stop drinking, they would say that they would never stop drinking. and if one were to say to stop fornication, the reply would be that they would never stop fornication. But Islam doesn't do that. Islam first tells a person to believe in the One God Allah (that is get Islamic faith).
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