Tag: convert

Dibuang Keluarga Sebab Convert To Islam

Selepas dibuang keluarga kerana pengislaman saya, saya mulakan kehidupan saya from the scratch. Dulu masa saya tinggal bersama ayah, segala keperluan disediakan tanpa perlu meminta. Memang perit. Terlalu perit untuk ditelan. Bukan sekali dua saya ditipu dalam bisnes. Tapi apa yang saya boleh buat ialah bangun semula dan teruskan berjalan.

Bermula dengan menaiki basikal, saya perlahan-lahan berniaga secara kecil-kecilan untuk menampung perbelanjaan saya di universiti. Masa belajar di universiti, disitulah bermulanya kerjaya saya iaitu home tutor secara part time. Masa tu saya tak pandai nak cari klien. Apa yang saya buat masa tu ialah mencari klien melalui ejen. Namun, communication skill saya amat lemah. Saya takut berbicara dengan orang dan sangat kekok kerana saya amat tertekan selepas dibuang keluarga.

Jadi, saya mencari idea baru untuk mengumpul wang dengan ekspres supaya saya dapat beli sebuah motorsikal untuk kemudahan saya bergerak. Saya disahkan menghidapi penyakit scoliosis (tulang belakang bengkok berbentuk “c”). Saya terus buat buku mengenai kajian yang telah baca dan menarik saya masuk Islam.

Saya pergi ke semua gerai, kedai dan restoran untuk menjual buku saya tu. Saya print guna kertas A4 dan fotostat banyak2 dan laminate jadikan ia sebuah buku yang nipis. Masa tu, memang saya macam peminta sedekah. Bukan sekali dua saya dihalau, dihina dan buku saya pernah dicampak oleh pemilik restoran. Terus saya masuk tandas restoran tersebut dan menangis. Walaupun saya lelaki, tapi peristiwa tu tetap saya takkan lupa sampai bila-bila.

Kemudian, saya belajar untuk improve skill supaya saya boleh teruskan kerja sebagai home tutor walaupun masa tu hanya part time. Saya mengajar part time home tuition ketika belajar di universiti. Dari situ, saya tekad untuk kumpul duit untuk beli kereta dan rumah. Sebab dalam masyarakat cina, kami dididik untuk memiliki hartanah diusia muda. Memang ayah saya mampu beli rumah untuk saya ketika itu. Tetapi selepas masuk Islam, ayah saya membatalkan hasratnya itu. Jadi, saya sedaya upaya fikir cara lain untuk memiliki rumah. Saya tak selesa menyewa kerana banyak masalah yang perlu dihadapi. Saya memang takkan berkahwin selagi tak ada rumah kerana saya tak mahu isteri dan anak merasai kepahitan yang saya lalui. Saya nak bagi yang terbaik buat mereka walaupun rumah kos rendah. Bagi saya ia lebih baik daripada langsung tak ada.

To make story short, dari menyewa sebuah bilik stor, kemudian sewa bilik, akhirnya berkat saya mengajar home tuition, saya berjaya membeli sebuah rumah kos rendah yang bagi saya sudah cukup untuk saya berlindung dari hujan dan panas.

At the end of the day, people only know your name not your story.
(gambar ini adalah waktu saya ulang alik dari Kolej Kuis semasa semester break, disebabkan semua pelajar kena kosongkan bilik.)

Source: Adam Kelvin

December 11, 2017
[Malaysia] Polytechnic Stallholder In Penang Allegedly Told To Convert To Islam If He Wanted To Continue With The Stall

Gopi Krishnan Gopal, who operated a stall in Politeknik Seberang Perai (PSP), Penang, has now claimed that he was told to convert to Islam if he wanted to continue running his business.

The 45-year-old former engineer claimed that the PSP head of administration, who allegedly told him and his wife, Khor Hong Geik, to convert, has since retired.

Gopi Krishnan also claimed to have received calls from various quarters, including a government officer from Putrajaya, who told him to “keep things quiet” as there were efforts to get his stall reinstated.

“I told the officer to raise the issue with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s department and to ask the PM to ensure that all polytechnics in the country have a canteen operator to provide food for non-Muslims, especially vegetarians.

“We are not asking for a temple to be built in the polytechnic, just a stall to serve non-Muslims, some who are vegetarian due to religious reasons,” he said, adding that he served 1,200 non-Muslims students in PSP.

Gopi Krishnan (second on left in photo) would be lodging a police report on the matter and is also mulling legal action against the polytechnic.

Accompanying him at the press conference were Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy and lawyers Paramjit Singh and Shamsher Thind Singh.

Malaysiakini is in the process of contacting the polytechnic and Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan on the latest allegation.

Previously, Kamalanthan said the canteen operator was terminated from PSP due to “administrative reasons”. The deputy minister denied it had anything to do with racial or religious extremism.

The polytechnic has also denied allegations of racism, adding that a police report was lodged on June 26 on the contents of messages on the matter that went viral.

It is learnt that some 300 students have signed a petition, calling on the institution to reinstate the canteen operator, while several quarters have condemned PSP for its handling of a non-Muslim canteen operator.

Gopi Krishnan had been operating his canteen in PSP since September last year but was told to fold up his business by June 30, which is tomorrow.

He failed to obtain the permit for his stall despite meeting all the conditions stated in an open tender, which PSP held in May.

Gopi Krishnan was the only non-Muslim among 12 operators who participated in the open tender.

He was later told by the same head of administration, who allegedly told him to convert to Islam, that he was unable to fulfil the ISO syariah procedures.

Ramasamy said the syariah compliance procedure was something new and surprising.

“Why should a non-Muslim trader be subjected to this law? Are there requirements that in public institutions built with taxpayers’ money, both Muslims and non-Muslims, must practice syariah?

“Gopi Krishnan is clearly a victim of racial and religious intolerance in public institutions,” he said.

Ramasamy called on Kamalanathan, who is also MIC education bureau chief, and the entire PSP management, to resign.

Source: www.malaysia-chronicle.com

July 4, 2017
Former Malaysian Minister: Muslims Must Speak Out Against Unilateral Child Conversion

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim today appealed to Muslims, urging them to speak up in kindness and fairness against unilateral child conversion.

“I don’t know if I’m going to heaven, but those who have no heart will go nowhere. How can anyone condone a unilateral child conversion?

“It’s not too late for good Muslims to speak up. We need to have capacity for kindness and being fair to others, even if not a Muslim.”

The lawyer turned politician declared on Twitter that “we have lost our soul” if Malaysia did not prohibit the conversion of a child to Islam by one parent at the expense of the other.

“Is being a Muslim more important than being human?”

He asked whether the pain of a mother deprived of her child had no bearing in Islam.

To resolve interfaith custody conflicts between Muslim and non-Muslim parents, a bill to amend Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (Act 164) was tabled in Parliament last November.

It was to be debated at the present sitting of the Dewan Rakyat but has been pushed back to No 8 in the order of proceedings.

Once passed, the amendment allows only the civil courts to rule in matters pertaining to civil marriages, even if one spouse converts to Islam.

However, Muslim legal experts have argued that the bill is “null and void” as it contradicts Islamic jurisprudence, which states that when a parent converts to Islam, his or her child (if the child has not yet reached puberty) automatically becomes a Muslim, too.

Former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim said any law which contradicts Islamic jurisprudence, derived from the Quran and Sunnah, was null and void.

On these grounds, Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who is legal aide to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has challenged the validity of the bill that seeks to end unilateral child conversions.

“In Islam, there is jurisprudence dealing with issues that arise when a person converts to Islam.

“These include disputes over what happens to the convert’s previous union, to the child from that union, the religion of that child, the matrimonial and custodial rights.

“On that basis, any amendment to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (Act 164) which does not comply with Islamic jurisprudence, in that situation, would be null and void. That’s what I’ve been arguing for the last 12, 13 years,” Haniff Khatri said.

Zaid, however, has expressed empathy for those embroiled in custody battles for their children, who along with their spouses, had converted to Islam.

Among the better-publicised cases is that of kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi, who challenged the conversion of her three children after a protracted court battle for custody.

Source: www.freemalaysiatoday.com

March 29, 2017
Cute Grandpa is 85 Years Old, And He Just Reverted To Islam

Meet Mr Ghazali Chua, 85 years young, who is one of our newest Converts. After spending much quality time with his Malay friends around the neighbourhood, Alhamdulillah, his heart and soul were touched by the light of Islam. Yesterday, he started a new journey. He embraced Islam, witnessed by friends at MCAS.

Next to him is MCAS employee, Mr Yusuf Ali @ Muralitharan, 25 years young, who embraced Islam at the age of 18 after learning about it from his Muslim friends.

Alhamdulillah, the two of them are now the best of buddies. May Allah continue to bless them, and all our Converts, with His Mercy, Love, and Guidance. Ameen.

Once a person embraces Islam, all sins prior to you becoming a Muslim are forgiven. In Islam, we are encouraged to better ourselves. It should matter not who you were yesterday, but who you want to be.

#newmuslim #converts #youngandold #mcas #muslimconvert #nevertoolate #neverjudge #wearemuslim #wearemuslimtoo #becomingmuslim #islamforall #muslimconvertsingapore #darularqam #darularqamsingapore

Share this story if it moves you.

Source: Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore – Darul Arqam Singapore

February 10, 2017
Janet Jackson Spotted In Full Islamic Dress For First Time Since Pregnancy Announcement

Singer Janet Jackson was this week spotted in public for the first time since announcing her pregnancy – wear full Islamic dress.

The star is believed to have become a Muslim after marrying Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Manna, 41, in 2012.

Our exclusive pictures show the couple looking relaxed and happy as they shopped in London earlier this week.

The pair strolled hand in hand as Janet – who will become a mum for the first time later this year at the age of 50 – stroked her growing bump.

They were spotted browsing for children’s clothes at an upmarket boutique before stopping for lunch at a health food restaurant.

Janet, who has sold over 100 million records, is widely regarded as one of the most successful female solo artists of all time.

She was married twice before meeting her magnate husband.

Speculation that the star was expecting first surfaced in April this year, when she postponed her upcoming tour.

She told fans: “My husband and I are planning our family.”

But the star – who has become notoriously private in recent years – refused to confirm the news until October.

Posing for a picture with her bump in American magazine People, she said: “We thank God for our blessing.”

Al Manna is said to have been a great support to Janet since she learned she was to become a mum for the first time.

The pair are said to have met in 2010, but their liaison was kept so under wraps that barely anyone knew they were a couple until a year after they had wed.

They regularly jet around the world on exotic trips but are based in Al Manna’s native Doha, Qatar.

In 2014, he said: “We love traveling. “We love going to nice, exotic places far away from the world and from prying eyes.”

Janet is said to have taken a while to adjust to life in Qatar, due to the restrictions placed on women – and the fact she’s had to give up designer clothes.

Source: www.mirror.co.uk

October 24, 2016