That constitutional right she is referring to is Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which gives us our freedom to practice whatever religion we want (for non-Muslims, at least). Siti filed her request in 2006 after her husband left her. Welllllllllll……sorta. The above two tables 1.5a and 1.5b are taken from Osman Chuah Abdullah, Preaching to the Non-Muslim Chinese in Malaysia (International Islamic University Malaysia, 2002), p.7. Yusuf Islam, commonly known by his stage name Cat Stevens, was born on July 21, 1948 which makes him 72-years-old. She embraced Islam in 1998 because she wanted to marry an Iranian, but claimed she never truly practiced the religion. Be declared a murtad by the Islamic religious authorities and/or the Syariah court. Find out why Close. Apostasy, or renouncing the faith, is one of the gravest sins in Islam and a very sensitive issue in Malaysia where the Islamic courts have rarely allowed such renunciations and … A Malaysian court’s ruling against a Muslim convert to Christianity highlights the difficulties of blending sharia law with modern legal frameworks. According to Muslim non-governmental organisation Sisters in Islam, Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir had in 2011 said that the Shariah Courts had only approved a total of 135 out of 686 applications by Muslims seeking to change their religious status for the 2000-2010 period. Temples in the urban areas are dedicated to a single deity whereas the temples in the rural are home to multiple gods. Under Syariah enactments of most of the 13 States of Malaysia: Conversion back to your former religion is either (a) not allowed under the law, or (b) a criminal offence which means you may be fined, whipped, detained or imprisoned under most State Islamic laws. Also, it should be noted that no pictures of Roneey have been made public, but there’s one of his lawyer and sister in this article by The Borneo Post. Religious groups and supporters at the Sarawak High Court after Roneey’s ruling (Roneey was not present). The Shariah court in Penang, however, granted Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah's request to be declared a non-Muslim. “He does not need a Syariah Court order to release him from Islam because freedom of religion is his constitutional right and only he can exercise that right,” – Justice Datuk Yew Jen Kie, quoted in The Star. Punishments for those caught trying to convert them include jail time and whippings. According to The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, in Islam the punishment for apostasy is death (1989, 33), although chances are given to the apostate to repent before the punishment is carried out (Encyclopedia of Religion 1987b, 321). A fact, So answer to question 1 is YES. If you have a real desire to be a Muslim and believe that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all you need to do is say the "Shahada" (Declaration of Faith). ... conversions out of Islam … Stuart Grudgings. Join 11street & CILISOS first ever RAMADHAN SPENDING SURVEY. Punishments for those caught trying to convert them include jail time and whippings. The temples follow Saivite tradition from West India for t… No conversion,no marriage, potential khalwat case! Cilisos Media Sdn. Converting to Islam is a very easy process and can be done online in privacy, or you can also do it in the presence of other Muslims. For this reason, Islam is the … Image from QasyahfulMalayWorld. Classroom at Faith Purification Center in Ulu Yam (Batul Iman), Selangor state. A non-Muslim wishing to marry a Malaysian Muslim, whether male or female, the non-Muslim must first convert to Muslim. From my understanding as a Muslim, the reason is that there has never been any social pressure to convert, nor there has been any significant attraction for Malaysian Chinese to become Muslim in Malaysia. Why, then, would a government make it so difficult for people to convert out of Islam, labelling this ‘treason’ and necessitating endless bureaucratic hurdles? Court disputes that ended in favor of Muslims have caused minorities to worry that their rights have become subordinate to those of ethnic Malay Muslims, who make up nearly 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people. In Malaysia, Islam's legal advance divides families and nation. This passed over the opposition of the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Democratic Action Party, and became law. No conversion,no marriage, potential khalwat case! The first thing we’ll note is that this article is gonna be looking at conversion from a LEGAL standpoint (i.e, being legally recognised as a non-Muslim), so that’s why the courts are involved. The Syariah Court in Penang has allowed a Chinese convert to renounce Islam in a rare decision today. A Malaysian court’s ruling against a Muslim convert to Christianity highlights the difficulties of blending sharia law with modern legal frameworks. Here at CILISOS, we believe that the only way to consume information is with a serious dose of flavour. ... Lindsay Lohan on Converting to Islam | Good Morning Britain - … It is impossible to convert to any other faith for a Muslim. Under Syariah enactments of most of the 13 States of Malaysia: Conversion back to your former religion is either (a) not allowed under the law, or (b) a criminal offence which means you may be fined, whipped, detained or imprisoned under most State Islamic laws. As such, the religion of Islam teachesthat in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one mustsubmit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law.Islam is not a new religion because ‘submissionto the will of God’, i.e. Image from TheStar. To many people, whether or not Malaysia is an Islamic state, membership of a religion should be based on a person’s faith and devotion. They worship in temples and pay reverence to an all supreme being who is imminent and transcendent. For example, while Islamic groups are free to convert non-Muslims to Islam in Malaysia, it is against the law for non-Muslims to proselytise among Muslims. The dumbest thing in this whole matter is subjecting the case to the jurisdiction of a court whose power only covers professing Muslims. All rights reserved. You Don’t Have to Convert to Marry a Muslim. Although, the first Muslim converts popped out mainly in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, somewhere in the 8th century, as result of there contact with Arab, Persian, and Gujarati traders. For this reason, Islam is the … 7 Min Read. ... Rights advocates say it is mostly husbands who convert to Islam … For the past seven years, the number of Muslim conversions administered in Singapore has stayed fairly consistent at between 600 and 700 a year. A Muslim man has legally been allowed to convert to Christianity by the civil courts. Take, for example, the words of Azam Kamguian, an Iranian former Muslim, in “Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out,” a collection of memoirs. In interfaith disputes involving Islam, the Shariah courts typically get the last word, which has upset non-Muslims who fear they cannot get justice in such circumstances. If you have a real desire to be a Muslim and believe that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all you need to do is say the "Shahada" (Declaration of Faith). Rather, the Roneey case has shown is that while the Syariah court should have jurisdiction on those who are subjected to its laws, there are still a few grey areas when it starts overlapping with the Federal Constitution (via our civil courts). 878 Islam was embraced by people along the coast of Peninsular Malaysia including the port of Kelang which was a well-known trading centre. Actually we are not quite done yet. A Reset font size. So, answer is NO. Two hundred years later in C.E. There're many many more, but Joy had become somewhat of a symbol to the Malaysia system. "It was an unnecessary prolongation of agony for that poor woman.". Tough luck if you’re a woman. People interested in the teachings of Islam sometimes find that the religion and lifestyle resonate in a way that makes them consider converting to the faith in a formal way. So what we are telling you here is an oversimplified version of how it’s actually legally possible to leave Islam. "So you can't blame her for her ignorance of the teachings and wanting to convert out," said Ahmad Munawir Abdul Aziz, a lawyer for the Islamic Affairs Council in Penang. ... Malaysia Made me Embrace Islam || Muslim Convert Stories. I am a Muslim and want to marry a non-Muslim lady. If you find yourself believing in the teachings of Islam, Muslims welcome you to make a formal declaration of faith. But that’s only half the battle won, because he still needed the Syariah court to tell the NRD to change his religion, which is the heart of the argument for his case. But back to his case, Roneey asked the civil court for three things: Most of us have the general idea that it’s pretty hard to convert out of Islam in Malaysia, but when the Kuching High Court made its decision in March this year, it ruled that Roneey had the right to leave Islam and become a Christian! If you find yourself believing in the teachings of Islam, Muslims welcome you to make a formal declaration of faith. Refworld contains a vast collection of reports relating to situations in countries of origin, policy documents and positions, and documents relating to international and national legal frameworks. If you are under 18 years of age, you require your parent’s permission to convert to Islam. In a landmark ruling last week a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam. Siti still must ask the government registration department to have her name and religion changed back on her identification papers. Introduction. Although the convention of changing an individual’s name when converting into Islam is not in Malaysian legislature, it is commonly practised by all Islamic authorities, the BBC reports. Required fields are marked *. We are living in an era with only one click we can reach to all information! The Arabic word ‘Islam’ means ‘submission’, and isderived from a word meaning ‘peace’. Only … – Fahri Azzat in email response to CILISOS. Individual Arab traders, including Sahabas, preached in the Malay Archipelago, Indo-China, and China in the early seventh century. Malaysia's most high-profile conversion case was that of Lina Joy, a woman who was born to Muslim parents and failed to get the Federal Court, Malaysia's top civil court, to recognize her conversion to Christianity last year. Which the NRD did, but during the state election campaign, Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has announced that the decision will NOT be challenged. The judgment establishes a precedent in a country where religious conversions, particularly from Islam to Christianity, have been steeped in controversy. A fact. Lim was the first Chinese Muslim in Malaysia allowed to keep his original name, a right he earned after battling Islamic authorities for five years. She was subsequently ordered to undergo counseling to ensure that she truly understood Islam. She wants to embrace Islam as well. Islam has certain regulations about several aspects of our … In Malaysia, issues concerning Islam are transfered to the Shari'ah courts which consider abandoning Islam to be apostasy, an offense punishable by fines, detention, and imprisonment in Malaysia. It’s often easiest if you convert in your home country, with an official conversion of Islam from the imam at the mosque with signature and stamps. Minority leaders hailed the verdict as a step to protect religious rights. you can get them to remove Islam from your IC, Lina Joy from being legally recognised as a Christian, between the civil court and Syariah court, READ THIS IF YOUR UNDERAGED CHILD CONVERTS TO ISLAM IN MALAYSIA. Where this might change, though, is if the High Court’s decision is challenged and brought to the superior courts (The Court of Appeal and the Federal Court), where it could have a bigger nationwide impact: If it is appealed, it would give the courts opportunity to reconsider and change the decision in Lina Joy or to affirm it. There're many many more, but Joy had become somewhat of a symbol to the Malaysia system. UNLESS you plan to move out of Malaysia … How strong was the previous government's control over Malaysian public universities? The creation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was achieved against the backdrop of the dominance of Salafi Islam or Wahhabism and the ‘convert-or-die’ campaign. But on the flipside, civil and Syariah lawyer Fahri Azzat (and CILISOS lawyer friend) explains that it might not be as landmark-y as previously thought because the High Court in Peninsular Malaysia doesn’t have to follow the High Court in East Malaysia: A judgement from Sabah and Sarawak is of equal standing to one from Peninsular Malaysia. To put it simply, you need 2 things to change your status from a Muslim to a non-Muslim: At least that’s what you need in theory, because it’s actually easier said than done. Islam has certain regulations about several aspects of our … And this is where things get interesting. Please consult the murtadd attachment from The New Encyclopedia of Islam for additional and background information. 7 Min Read. However, after public outcry, it was quietly removed by its non-inclusion in future amendments of the state bill. Firstly, when Roneey asked the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the Sarawak Islamic Council to allow him to leave Islam, they were surprisingly OK with it! KUALA LUMPUR — A Malaysian Islamic court allowed a Muslim convert Thursday to return to her original faith of Buddhism, setting a precedent that could ease religious minorities' worries about their legal rights. Although the convention of changing an individual’s name when converting into Islam is not in Malaysian legislature, it is commonly practised by all Islamic authorities, the BBC reports. A page for Muslims and Muslim converts to continue learning about the religion.A page where Muslim converts/ reverts can share their stories with us. We’ve been covering a lot about Sarawak lately about their state election (see here and here), but now that the election is over and done, you’d think that we won’t be talking about the state for a while. Political observers say that religious grievances contributed to the governing coalition's poor performance in March elections, in which the coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament. 3.2K likes. However, if you decide to convert to get married properly you can go to Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) and convert on the same day and received RM1,500 gift money. So sorry, you can't marry without converting. You Don’t Have to Convert to Marry a Muslim. What is the Sharia process whereby a person wanting to marry a Muslim can convert to Islam? However, a High Court Judge in Peninsular Malaysia does not have to follow a [East Malaysian] High Court decision. Lim was the first Chinese Muslim in Malaysia allowed to keep his original name, a right he earned after battling Islamic authorities for five years. But they have to go to the court processes.” – Chua Kuan Ching, quoted in The Malay Mail Online. Between 2000 to 2010 alone, 135 Malaysian Muslims have been allowed to convert out of Islam for various reasons. Lawyers are still arguing as to where the line between the civil court and Syariah court should be drawn when it comes to conversion cases, especially when it comes to child conversion cases. Of course they can! This green tea from Cameron Highlands…IS MADE IN CHINA?! As such, the religion of Islam teachesthat in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one mustsubmit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law.Islam is not a new religion because ‘submissionto the will of God’, i.e. However, It is believed that Islam truly arrived in Malaysia sometime between the 13th and the 14th century, via Arab and Indian-Muslim traders. The verdict reaffirms the supremacy of the Federal Constitution, which […] "I want to go to the temple to pray and give thanks.". Two classes of applications but one route for both But this method will most likely not work for the second reason: the NRD needs permission from the Syariah court before you can get them to remove Islam from your IC. ————— Update on 14 Jan 2010. In many ways, faith is also a very personal thing – which is perhaps what matters the most in the end. At the end of the day, we think that Islam, like any other faith, is beautiful in its own way as long as it helps their believers to become a better person. The Arabic word ‘Islam’ means ‘submission’, and isderived from a word meaning ‘peace’. Hear me out here. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religionin the sight of God. Update: including a failed marriage with a Muslim. A fact, So answer to question 1 is YES. In a landmark ruling last week, a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam. Malaysia’s Sultans are said to be the ‘Guardians of Islam’ who act as the ceremonial heads in nine out of thirteen states. One thing to note is that Roneey isn’t the first Muslim to be allowed to leave Islam. So now that we know how it works, what’s different with Roneey’s case then? 674 (forty-two years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, pbuh) when the Umayyad ruler Muawiyah was in power at Damascus. It was influential before Islam took over. Tell them about Islamic duties and rules. Here’s 5 lost kingdoms of Sarawak that you’ve probably never heard of, M’sia’s state govts made their own contact tracing apps, so we downloaded them to try, The Chinese gold miner who became Sarawak’s Rajah for a day. Lawyers said that the Shariah High Court's verdict in the northern state of Penang was the first time in recent memory that a convert in this Muslim-majority nation has been permitted to legally renounce Islam. This is mostly down to a couple of reasons, the first being that renouncing Islam (apostasy) is a punishable offence in Malaysia under Syariah law, with the punishment ranging from detainment to a possible death sentence, depending on which state you live in. After his parents converted to Islam when he was 8 years old, his religion was changed to follow suit under the Guardianship of Infants Act since he was still a minor at the time. In Malaysia, Islam's legal advance divides families and nation. A page for Muslims and Muslim converts to continue learning about the religion.A page where Muslim converts/ reverts can share their stories with us. "I am very happy," Siti, a 39-year-old ethnic Chinese cake seller, said by telephone. The judgment establishes a precedent in a country where religious conversions, particularly from Islam to Christianity, have been steeped in controversy. ... Young Believer in Malaysia Counts the Cost in Leaving Islam for … This is because the High Courts stand as peers to each other and they can differ. No one is able to control human mind, not even the government. In a landmark ruling last week a Malaysian court upheld the rights of a Christian to convert from Islam. Although, the first Muslim converts popped out mainly in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, somewhere in the 8th century, as result of there contact with Arab, Persian, and Gujarati traders. Our aim is to make mundane things like news and current events entertaining, and informative, hopefully in equal measure. Malays can never (officially) convert out of Islam because Muslims do not recognise any other “legal” state of existence except as a Muslim. Refworld is the leading source of information necessary for taking quality decisions on refugee status. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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