Keval 07 July 2023

Religion conversion

Hi ,

Me and my wife both are hindu. We respect all religion but recently we got inclined towards islam religion. We have decided to accept islam religion and follow it. Nobody has forced us and we want to convert from hindu to muslim by our will. I want to know what is the process of conversion in india. Can we just go to any MASJID for conversion? I heard that Maulvi in masjid will provide a letter/certificate/affidavit after conversion that we have accepted islam. Is there any legal way of doing it in court? if yes, please explain what is the process and what documents will be required for that process.

Also, Will we both have to change our names in all of our documents and identity cards? OR we can continue using them with our hindu names. Is it compulsory to change names in all documents after conversion? It is a very time consuming task. What if we don’t change our names in our documents after conversion, will it create any problem or issue in future?

Please reply. serious replies only. no jokes no gyan no bhashan please.

Thanks.

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3 Replies

T. Kalaiselvan, Advocate (Advocate) 08 July 2023

There is no provision in law for onversion from one religion to another.

It would be your own decision to change your faith to any other religion.

Law will not interfere in your personal rights to convert yourself from one relgioon to another.

Indian Constitution states that a person has the freedom to profess, practice and propagate any religion. As such, there is no legal procedure to convert the religion but the conversion must be notified in the Govt. Gazette so that it can be easily affected in all other legal documents.

Dr. J C Vashista (Advocate ) 08 July 2023

It is your personal problem / decision, which do not involve any legal issue for consideration and obligation of experts on this platform.

P. Venu (Advocate) 12 July 2023

Religious Conversion has the protection of Article 25 of the Constitution. Such conversion is not prohibited in law. Every person has a right to choose and profess any religion of his/her choice. It is a Constitutional right. If someone is forced to convert, then it’s a different issue but to convert is a person’s prerogative.

For convesrion to Isam, it is sufficient if a person declares in presence of winesses that he believes in the oneness of God and the Prophetic character of Mohammad or in the alternative, he may go to a mosque, to a person who is well versed in Islamic theology (Alim), where he utters Kalma (Lailaha-ill-Allah- Muham-mad-ur Rasoolullah) before Imam, whereupon he is given a Muslim name by the Imam.

If names are changed consequent to conversion, this aspect needs to be notified in the Gazette following the due process.

Conversion of the both spouses, without any intention to commit fraud upon the law, will have the effect of altering the rights incidental to marriage.

Succession to the estate of a convert is governed by Muslim Law