‘Islam does not change Muslim convert’s racial, cultural identity’
Muslim converts do not change their race, their language, or their culture at all, contrary to the misperception of them becoming Malays upon embracing Islam.
In pointing this out, Nasyitah Abdullah, the advisor to the Sibu branch of Hidayah Centre Foundation, says Islam is ‘beyond religion’, in that it is also a way of life that can be practised by people of all nations.
“Many communities still have a misconception about a person’s conversion to Islam, and in the case of our country, it means that every person will become a Malay.
“The truth is a Muslim convert does not change his or her race, language and culture. The Chinese converts are still Chinese, and the same goes for Iban converts — they are still Ibans.
“Many among our society misunderstand about the conversion to Islam – they assume that a person like me, having converted to Islam, can no longer speak my own mother tongue,” said the ‘pendakwah’ (preacher) in her speech for Hidayah Centre Foundation Sibu’s Chinese New Year 2024 Open House at Pustaka Sibu yesterday.
Jointly hosted by Sarawak Muslim Tiong Hua Welfare Association (PERKTHIS) and Women’s Organisation of Change, the event gathered more than 50 guests.
On the open house, Nasyitah said the key objective was to raise the awareness of Islamic among the non-Muslim community, especially the Chinese residents here.
She also believed that many Chinese New Year traditions were in parallel with the good teachings in Islam.
“Family members and friends gather to strengthen ties, the elders give ‘angpows’ (cash packets) to the young ones, and everyone works together in house-decorating — all these are good practices, in line with God’s commands,” she added.