Short answer
Yes. Accepting Islam sincerely wipes away the sins committed before it, as the Prophet ﷺ said that Islam erases what came before it. Rights owed to people, such as debts or stolen property, still have to be returned. All four schools agree.
Sincere Islam removes the sins of the time before Islam between a person and Allah. Debts and other rights of people that can be returned remain owed. Good deeds done before Islam are not lost: the hadith says a convert keeps the reward of the good he did.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
When Amr ibn al-As came to accept Islam, he held back his hand and asked for one condition: that he be forgiven. The Prophet ﷺ told him that Islam destroys what came before it. This is one of the clearest promises in the Sunnah, and the Quran says the same to those who stop disbelieving.
This covers sins between you and Allah: what you ate, drank, worshipped or did before Islam. You do not need to confess them to anyone, and you should not dwell on them. Allah even says He replaces the bad deeds of those who repent and believe with good ones. The four schools agree on this.
- Rights of people stay. A loan you owe, money you took without right or a debt on a credit card is still owed. Return or settle it as you can.
- Good deeds count. Hakim ibn Hizam asked about the charity and kindness he did before Islam, and was told he accepted Islam along with the good he had done.
- Fresh start, not a free pass. Sins after Islam need tawbah (repentance), which is always open. See does Allah forgive all sins.
Many converts carry guilt about their past for years. The texts are clear that the slate is clean. Use that relief as energy to build your prayer and your character.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Anfaal 8:38
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَنتَهُوا۟ يُغْفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِن يَعُودُوا۟ فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿٣٨﴾
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them. But if they return [to hostility] - then the precedent of the former [rebellious] peoples has already taken place.
Those who leave disbelief are forgiven what came before.
Quran, Surah Al-Furqaan 25:70
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًۭا صَٰلِحًۭا فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ حَسَنَٰتٍۢ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا ﴿٧٠﴾
Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
Those who repent and believe have their bad deeds replaced with good.
Sahih Muslim 121
Sahih... أما علمت أن الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله ...
"Did you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it?"
The Prophet ﷺ told Amr ibn al-As that accepting Islam erases past sins.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1436
Sahih... أسلمت على ما سلف من خير ...
"You accepted Islam along with the good you did before."
Good deeds from before Islam are not lost.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, Bab Qada al-Fawa'it. Notes that the convert is not answerable for acts of worship missed before Islam.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.