A Chinese Muslim’s Conversion Story

As a Malaysian Chinese convert to Islam, I have been a Muslim for more than twenty years. I have been thinking about whether I should share my conversion story and why I chose Islam.

“Why? Elaine, why did you convert to Islam?”

This is one of the most common questions I get asked. In the initial stages of becoming a Muslim, it was difficult for me to answer this question, and many times I would fall into awkward silences for long periods of time, not knowing how to answer.

I must admit that in the first few years of my conversion to Islam, I was terrified of this question and mostly avoided it. I didn’t like the way people looked at me, as if I had made a big mistake.

However, over time, I came to realize that the people who asked me this question did not mean any harm, but rather because they cared about me and loved me. Inevitably, they were worried when they found out that I had become a Muslim. Praise be to Allah, who is the greatest, and I am now able to deal with all of this openly. I am happy and proud to share my conversion story with you.

Before I share my story, I think it is important to distinguish between the two most common words used to express conversion in English, “Convert” and “Revert”, as this is another common question, especially asked by my non-Muslim friends. This is another common question, especially from my non-Muslim friends.

Generally speaking, “Convert” refers to a person who converts to a new religion. The common definition of the word is “to change from one religion or belief to another”.

However, in the Muslim community, you may hear people use the word “Revert” to describe their conversion process to Islam. This is because some people see conversion to Islam as a return to their true faith, i.e., a return to the purest connection between mankind and its Creator.

A common definition of “Revert” is “to return to one’s original state or beliefs”. In the Islamic view, every human being is born in submission to Allah. Therefore, when a person converts to Islam, he is not changing his beliefs, but returning to his original state of belief, only to deviate from it later due to various external factors.

To be honest, before I converted, my knowledge of Islam was very limited. Living in Malaysia, I had the same impression about Malays and Islam. In my mind, Islam was equal to Malay, and Malay represented Islam. But gradually, I realized that Malay is an ethnic group and Islam is a religion. Therefore, I am a Chinese Muslim, not a Malay Muslim. Unfortunately, to this day, many people still mistake me for a Malay because they see me wearing a headscarf.

In addition to this, I also realize that there are many misconceptions about Islam in our society today:

1. Islam is a religion of violence – This is one of the most widespread misconceptions, and it stems mainly from media coverage of terrorist incidents. Some extremist organizations have committed acts of violence in the name of Islam, leading many to believe that Islam encourages violence. However, what Islam really preaches is peace and justice.

2. Muslims are all terrorists – This misconception is also influenced by media reports. However, the truth is that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, law-abiding citizens who play a positive role in society.

3. Islam oppresses women – This misconception stems from a misinterpretation of Islamic teachings. Islam attaches great importance to the dignity and rights of women and provides them with legal and social protection.

4. Islam is a backward religion – Again, this is a biased view that ignores the great contributions of the Islamic civilization in art, science and philosophy. In fact, Islamic civilization has led the world in many fields.

5. Muslims do not respect other religions – This misconception stems from a lack of understanding of Islam. In fact, Islamic teachings encourage respect for all religions and promote peaceful coexistence and dialogue between different faiths.

It is for this reason that we need to clear up these misconceptions in order to promote understanding and harmony between different faith groups.

Growing up in Johor, Malaysia, I spent my childhood in a typical Chinese family, surrounded by neighbors who were almost exclusively Chinese. As a result, I had little exposure to other ethnic groups or religions.

I was born into a Buddhist family, and whenever my family asked me to pray to a statue of a deity, I did so without question. But deep down, I had a lot of questions that wouldn’t go away:

“Why are there so many idols with different faces?”

“Every family has a different idol, which one is the most powerful? Which one is the God who controls the universe and really answers prayers?”

“If I leave home to study overseas, am I leaving God or is God leaving me?”

……

These questions have always haunted me, and I have never had an answer. Perhaps it was because I didn’t understand enough about Buddhism and didn’t have the opportunity to explore it deeply.

I still remember that my study abroad experience made me think more deeply about my faith. At that time, I had been away from Malaysia for more than a year, and I suddenly realized that the statue of God that I usually worshiped at home was not around me, did this mean that my God was not around me? I felt like I needed God’s blessing, but I couldn’t find anything to pray to, and I was deeply touched by that feeling of confusion and helplessness. This experience led me to a deeper level of thinking – where is the real God? Who is the only Creator?

When I returned to Malaysia, I began to search for answers. It took me about four years to unravel my questions about Islam. I was fortunate to have many friends who encouraged me and accompanied me to religious programs that helped me through this challenging period.

During a religious program in 2000, I learned how to pray. As I stood on a carpeted floor, with no statue, no picture, no nothing in front of me – I could feel clearly in my heart that God was there, even if I couldn’t see it with my naked eyes.

In that moment, I knew that Allah was always there. Praise be to Allah, the Most High. In that year, I formally pronounced the Syahadah at the Islamic Council of Singapore (MUIS) and heartily converted to Islam.

Every Muslim who converts to Islam has a story and a reason that is unique to him or her. Everyone’s journey is unique.

When someone wants to learn more about Islam and considers conversion, I always encourage them to do more research and learn more about Islamic teachings and practices. Converting to Islam means accepting the belief that there is no God but Allah and following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If you want to learn more about Islam, you can read the Quran or consult with local imams, scholars, or even other converts for more insight.

Faith is a personal choice, and conversion to Islam should come from within, not from outside pressure. Take the time to learn, think and make sure that this is a path you truly believe in and are willing to follow.

Ultimately, becoming a Muslim is a decision that comes from the heart, based on your own beliefs and pursuits. Allah says in the Quran:

“And they believe, and their hearts are quieted by the remembrance of Allah; verily, all hearts are quieted by the remembrance of Allah.” [13:28

This is the attribute and enjoyment of the grace of the believers in Allah, for their faith in Allah does not come from blindness and gullibility, but is based on thinking and participating in the source of all things in the universe and the unified law that governs all things, and so their belief in the uniqueness of Allah is extremely firm, and their hearts are filled with tranquility whenever they remember Allah, and they are proud of their faith, and they are happy because of the remembrance of their Lord. They are proud of their faith and happy to remember their Lord. They know that what awaits them is Allah’s wonderful promise.