What is Islam and how to become a muslim?

Islam is the Way of Natural Disposition [Deen-ul-Fitrah]. Islam is not a new religion, instead it is the recovery and preservation of the original system of belief revealed to Abraham, Moses, David, Soloman, Jesus (peace be on them all!). Islam is all about believing that Allah is the one God, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final messenger of God.

Steps

1. Have a good mindset of Islam. Rest assured that the path to Islam is indeed very simple. Understand that in Islam one doesn't convert rather one reverts back to an "original" natural belief.
   
2. In Islamic understanding every child is born innocent and stays so until puberty, thus all children that die young are taken directly to heaven. So when one "converts" to Islam he/she is actually reverting to their own original nature: Are you willing to commit yourself to Islam? You need to know that there is only one God and Jesus (peace be upon him) was a prophet and also that all prophets including Muhammad (peace be upon him) were directed by that one God - Allah.
   
3. Testify your faith by reciting: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمد رسول الله                      Ash-hadu alla ilaha illallah-wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasulullah"                   I bear witness that there is no God except Allah and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger".
   
4. Purify yourself. Immediately upon becoming a Muslim, you should take a shower, to purify yourself. This is both a symbolic act of washing away the past and being purified, of emerging from darkness to light, created afresh and also signifies the importance of purity in Islam.
   
5. Once you have entered into Islam and made sincere repentance to Allah, you should consider your past minor sins forgiven and strive to improve your spiritual state by doing good deeds.
   
6. Repentance can be considered accepted if you have sincerely prayed to Allah, turned away from the sin and never return to it. In some cases where 3rd parties are affected, you should also restore their rights or get their forgiveness to be absolved.
   
7. Know the truth of Islam. You can learn a lot from translations of the Qur'an. Some of these translations may be harder to understand than others, however Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Pickthall are the two most common. However, it's much better to seek guidance from learned people if you can rather than simply relying on reading the Qur'an yourself. Your local mosque will likely have people who will be more than willing to guide and assist you in learning more about Islam and many have "New Muslim" study circles which are often a good place to start. Be careful, but relaxed, about finding someone who you feel comfortable with and who you are convinced has enough knowledge in order to teach well.  Visit:  http://www.quranexplorer.com/ for translation and audio quran.
8. Offer your first prayer to God. If you're not sure how the prayer is performed, again it's best to learn from somebody you trust rather than go it alone. The easiest way to learn is to attend a Mosque for the 5 daily prayers. Just follow along initially but also seek knowledge as to the requirements of the prayer. Prayer should be a relaxing, enjoyable activity and is best when taken time over. Rushing the prayer should be avoided in order to gain maximum benefit. Remember, prayer is a direct spiritual connection between you and the one who keeps your heart beating right now and who created the universe. It should bring serenity, happiness and peace. This will come with and improve with time. Avoid being excessive with the prayer and simply do your best. The goal initially is to establish a habit and make it an enjoyable experience.
   
9. Understand the five pillars of Islam. They are the Testimony of Faith (as mentioned in Step 3) and the method of belief (Emaan), the five daily Prayers (Salaah) (as mentioned in Step 5), Fasting (in the month of Ramadan), Compulsory Poor Due (Zakaah), and Pilgrimage (Hajj) (once in your lifetime for those who have the means).
   
10. Believe in the seven articles of Faith: Believe in God, his angels, his revealed books, his messengers (from Adam to Mohammad), the Last Day, the fate (good and bad) is predestined by Allah, and the Resurrection after Death. This forms part of the 1st Pillar.
    
11. Be the best person you can be: No matter what may anger, sadden or upset you, you must be the best person you can be. Allah created us to have a good life, and to be happy. Being respectful towards others is a big part of being a good Muslim, so make sure to remember that often.
    

Tips

• Always ask a moderately knowledgeable Muslim when you have questions about your newly acquired faith. A second opinion is advisable, possibly from the Imam of your local mosque.
  
• Listen to the Quran recitation in Arabic while reading the English translation.
  
• Visit the websites of reverts to Islam to get a feel of this huge community
  
• Don't rush into it. You need to have a firm understanding of the different laws to be a good Muslim. While there are many laws in Islam they are very simple and easy to follow, as its the Natural Way, it will feel totally natural once implemented.
  
• Look into different schools of law and choose the one that appeals most to you. The recognised schools are Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali. Note that all schools are equally valid and saves one from misguidance when trying to interpret the primal sources of Islam [Quran and Sunnah]
  
• Join the evening/weekend classes at your local mosque to learn more about Islam. Islam is a _COMPLETE_ way of life, providing guidance for Muslims from birth to death, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, from the individual to state, from before life to after death!
  
• Learn to read the Quran in Arabic. Besides remarkable spiritual benefits from reading in Arabic (even if you dont understand the meaning) the Arabic Quran is the exact words of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
  

Warnings

• There are many misconceptions about Islam, so confirm what you hear with Quranic Verses and Prophetic traditions. If you need help understanding an aspect of Islam, ask a scholar or the Imam of the local mosque.
  
• Most Muslims will want to help, but sometimes they give inaccurate information.
  
• You may come across people who will be hostile toward you. Stay strong and steadfast and Allah will reward you.
  
• Like other religions, Islam has its extremists. Be careful where you get your information from.
  
• Try to be conscious of the Creator and do the best you can where ever you may be. If someone informs you of something that may sound strange or makes you uncomfortable ask for authentic evidences.
  
• Try to hang out with pious, knowledgeable Muslims as often as possible, so you will be able to get your questions answered.

Also see this page to find out more and get your free copy of the quran.