Baptism is a religious rite of passage performed by countless Christian faith communities around the world. However, Muslims have their own form of initiation, which is distinct from baptism. In the Islamic faith, there is no such term as baptism, but the process of initiation is known as Tahara (ritual purification). This term refers to the ritual cleansing of a person before they can offer prayer and other religious activities. Muslims believe that before prayer or entering the mosque, one must undergo this Tahara process of purification. Therefore, we can conclude that Muslims do not follow baptism since they practice a different form of purification.
Unlike baptism, Tahara is an inward process where Muslims purify their hearts, souls, and thoughts. The purification is a means to gain nearness to Allah Almighty. Hence, after a Muslim has purified themselves, they are considered ready to perform the prayer. Tahara, however, is not a one-time event; it is a practice that should be performed continuously, until the Day of Reckoning. This acts as a continuous reminder to worshippers to always ensure that their hearts, minds, and words are pure and strengthened with good deeds.
In addition to Tahara and as a part of their initiation process, Muslims also perform another ritual, known as the Shahada. The Shahada is a declaration of faith that Muslims recite: “I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship but Allah and Prophet Muhammad is His Messenger.” This declaration marks someone's formal entrance into the Islamic faith community, and it is considered a lifelong commitment to embody the principles of Islam. Unlike baptism, the Shahada is not associated with water, however, it is considered the beginning of the Taqwa (piety) journey in Islam.
Muslims also perform a ritual known as Wudu’, which is another form of purification. Wudu’ is a process of washing one’s face, hands, and feet before praying. This is regarded as an act of purification, which signifies a Muslim’s readiness for prayer. Wudu’ ritual is performed before every prayer and it is an essential aspect of the Islamic faith practice.
In conclusion, Muslims do not follow baptism as practiced in Christian faith communities. Instead, they practice Tahara, which is an inward form of purification, Shahada, which is a declaration of faith, and Wudu’, which is a means of performing purification immediately before each prayer. These processes are distinct from baptism; but they serve a similar purpose of purification, which is central to the Islamic faith tradition. Converts to Islam do not have to undergo any kind of baptism but they must make a declaration of faith (Shahada) to officially be a part of the Islamic faith community. Therefore, Muslims do not follow the baptism ritual but they have their own unique form of initiation and purification.