New Muslims Community (Old)

Religion is about the dos and the don’ts. Nobody can say they want to free themselves from rules. There are rules that guide every aspect of our lives – at work, at school, as a citizen or visitor to a country.

The difference is whether these rules are man-made or Divine. Man-made rules can change as humans are not perfect. Divine laws remain unchanged and unaltered: one law for all, an no one is above the law.

As Muslims, we believe that Islam is the true guidance and a Divine law; not a man-made law.

Islam guides everyone to attain peace and harmony in this World and the next. God the Almighty who created every one of us left us with clear guidance on how to attain a fulfilled life.

Every aspect of the Muslim life has been detailed, both in the Qur’an, and by the examples of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the last Messenger of Allah.

From what to do when we are born to how to organise the deceased, and every facet of our lives in between – how we treat our family/neighbours/the environment, how we do business, how we eat/drink/ dress, hygiene etiquette, how to handle the poor, how to talk to the elders, ways to bring up children – these are all explained in detail that leaves nothing unclear. Hence, Islam is a complete way of life.

Islam is the name of a religion. Muslims are the followers of Islam.

Islam is a religion. A Malay or Arab is a race.

Islam does not belong to any race. Islam is for all mankind.

If you are a Chinese, you remain a Chinese after shahadah. Islam does not change a person’s race. Only you have chosen Islam as your belief.

Islam teaches a person to live guided by the Divine laws. The basic teachings of Islam are the 5 Pillars of Islam, 6 Articles of Faith and 1 Pillar of Ehsan.

Islam is here to unite everyone. It belongs to Allah; not to a particular race. No one particular Muslim people, nationality or race is superior over the other.

We are here to follow Islam and not have Islam follow us. Example, we may have our own cultural ways of eating, dressing, celebrations. Any tradition that does not contradict with the Islamic principle, the practice is permissible.

It is important to understand these three fundamental differences. Most importantly is that one is a practising Muslim, not just a Muslim by tradition or name only.

One becomes a Muslim by declaring the testimony of faith (the shahadah):

Ash hadu al laa ilaaha illaAllah (I bear witness that there is no God except Allah)

Wa ash hadu anna Muhammaddar Rasulullah (And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).

Al-Khaadem is a JAWI-appointed shahadah centre. But you can also go to any religious office (in Malaysia) to make the declaration of faith.

Islam believes we were all born with an innate sense of submission to God (fitrah). Parents may raise us in a particular belief, and so embracing Islam is seen as a “return” to that innate faith we were born with. Hence the word “revert”.

It is important for anyone wanting to embrace Islam to have basic knowledge about this religion before committing themselves. This is because there is no compulsion in religion. Once a person makes the commitment to become a Muslim, she/he will live and die as a Muslim, and there is no turning back.

It is highly recommended for you to choose a Muslim name that has a good meaning and one that can strengthen your Muslim identity.

You may put in an application with the relevant state religious office for a Muslim card.

All information on the marriage (nikah) process is available online at www.sppim.gov.my

Al-Khaadem’s New Muslims Community offers assistance in learning through weekly programmes, one-on-one tutorials, and a mentor-buddy system. Get in touch with us to know more.

Alhamdulillah, Al-Khaadem conducts marriage workshops that address topics related to the revert. This includes marriage (nikah) etiquette, relations with born Muslim in-laws and non-Muslim parents, culture/tradition versus Islam, and more.

Islam is a faith that stresses on hygiene and cleanliness. Circumcision is compulsory for the male and it is recommended for the female.

As Muslims, we should be proud to dress Islamically and follow the Islamic values. Hijab concerns not only how we dress, but how we look and interact in society. In simple terms, it means “covering” and the idea is to practice humility and modesty.

Dressing modestly applies to both male and female. The idea of modesty is not new. It has been the way of life since the time of the early Prophets, eg. Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

For the male, being modest means covering the aurat (modesty) from the navel down to the knees. For the female, the whole body is considered aurat, except for the two hands and the face.

In short, one should dress simply, modestly, with dignity – without drawing attention to the shape, silhouette of the body, or attracting other’s attention to our physical attire.

We can dress in any traditional attire as long as the clothes cover the aurat. And this applies to both men and women.

Halal means “permissible”. It covers not only food and drinks, but denotes halal speech, halal actions, halal dressing, halal transactions, halal business, and many other aspects of the Muslim life.

The Almighty who created us know what is good and bad for His creation.

Eating the flesh of swine has been made impermissible (haram) to all of His creations, from the time of Abraham to Moses and Jesus – not just during the followers of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (PBUH) has reminded us to be particular with our food. If you are aware of cross-contaminated utensils, it is best to avoid it.

We believe that when we are known as a practising Muslim – and we strengthen this identity by the way we talk, behave and dress, our rights will be honoured by others.

Our presence during these difficult times is even more important as to show that we honour family bonds. We can still be a part of the gathering as long as we excuse ourselves from participating in any religious aspects of the ritual.

There is no harm for parents, relatives and friends who are yet to be Muslims to be present during this time. When we die as a Muslim, the Muslim community (ummah) will automatically organise a Muslim burial following the Islamic principles. This communal spirit is what makes Islam so beautiful and your family will not feel the burden to go at it alone.

Women and men are seen as equal in Islam. For example, both get rewarded equally for their deeds as stated in the Qur’an (Surah An-Nisa, verse 124), meaning: “If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or female and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.”

Islam provides the same Seven Basic Human Rights to women: the right to live, to work, to be paid, to own property, receive an education, to choose and to be honoured and respected. These rights were given over 1,400 years ago, showing that Islam honours everyone’s rights.