Can I convert to Islam while applying to become an expat in Malaysia?

5POSTS

4 years ago

I am an American citizen that has been working and living in Japan. While I enjoy my life here, I have been becoming more and more fascinated by Muslim culture.

I have come to realize that there are a lot of lies in the mainstream media about Muslims and Islam in general, which are just not true at all.

Aside from the religion, the culture and food have always interested me as well.

I am sorry if my question sounds ignorant as I know almost nothing about Malaysia, but hope to learn a lot more from the information on this forum.

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

I agree with you that there are a lot of misconception about Islam. Sometimes it is done for political reasons and sometimes it is simply a reflection of some (Individuals or Groups) who think they follow the faith, but they are far from the true Islam. People can always go to the source (The Quran) and learn the message of Islam or ask a knowledgeable person.

I am also a US citizen who came to Malaysia last year. It is a nice place. The three main groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) live in peace and harmony. There is a freedom of religion.

Personally I like it here. People are respectful and nice. However, there are some cultural differences between here and US . Overall it is a great place to live in.

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Guest39483845 Guest

0POSTS

4 years ago

Alhamdulillah brother, you have been given hidayah from Allah swt to understand the truth about Islam.

Where do you stay now? You may go to any nearby mosque and see the imam. Google for prayer time. You may definitely see him 15min before or after any prayer time there. He will guide you on the next steps of becoming a muslim. He may not be at the mosque outside that times since he may got other things to do.

In Malaysia, there is a dedicated goverment agency called PERKIM to guide new revert brothers/sisters with a daily/weekly meetings/sessions to learn more about Islam and how to practice it in daily lives. There are also NGOs that you can connect to on learning the next steps.

Don't feel despair if you are tested with bad human relation that you feel alone or nobody treat you good enough there. You need to drive yourself and pray to Allah to ease your quest to learn and practice Islam in your daily live. If you go to any mosque and join the daily prayers there, insyaallah everyone will great you well.

Hope this info help. You may email me if you need any guide/info from me.***** I'm in Johor, Malaysia now but travelling/expatriating abroad next month.

Moderated by Djameel 4 years ago
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micern Active member

40POSTS

4 years ago

There is a freedom of religion.
- @Kovu01

That's a truth with modifications. Apostasy is not legal in Malaysia, and Muslims are not free to leave Islam.

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

I have been in western and eastern countries, and I watch a lot of news. I consider Malaysia by far in the top 1% of freedom of religion in the world.

By the way, no country will ever pass the absolute measuring stick of being a 100% perfect 😊

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

4 years ago

I was a little worried before my first trip to Malaysia - "60% Muslim", said the internet search. Oops, I idiotically thought after seeing far too much utter crap about Muslims on TV and in the papers.

There was I, my first full day in KL, when a nasty, violent, evil, suicide bomber Muslim with an AK 47 saw I looked a bit lost so insisted I eat with him, and went on to force me to let him pay the bill in the most terrible and scary way.

That was the moment I realised the press talks a right load of old crap about Islam - Still, we Muslims are happy now because we aren't Russian or Chinese, thus not as evil as we were a few years ago.

Moral - Yes, there are some bad in every group, race, religion, or whatever, but the vast majority of all are nice people, and there's a big sprinkling of unbelievably great people in most.

As for entering Islam, take a little time to meet Muslims and enjoy a few informal chats as well as the more formal stuff. If you feel right about Islam, go for it.

micern Active member

40POSTS

4 years ago

I have been in western and eastern countries, and I watch a lot of news. I consider Malaysia by far in the top 1% of freedom of religion in the world.
By the way, no country will ever pass the absolute measuring stick of being a 100% perfect 😊
- @Kovu01

You can consider that, but it doesn't make it true. And I doubt you can point to any study that agrees with your statement.

As for the second part, about no country being perfect, you are absolutely right.

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

Looking for a study about Islam from where France, US, India ..etc.

Sure these studies will definitely adhere to the highest standard of journalism integrity and truth telling. How about a report from Fox News will that be the ultimate validation.

My friend it is easy to take a country like Malaysia for example and compare it to idealistic idea of a country. So, do you think, France, US, England, Australia, China, India, Philippine Germany have more religious freedom than Malaysia?

micern Active member

40POSTS

4 years ago

#10

Looking for a study about Islam from where France, US, India ..etc.
Sure these studies will definitely adhere to the highest standard of journalism integrity and truth telling. How about a report from Fox News will that be the ultimate validation.
My friend it is easy to take a country like Malaysia for example and compare it to idealistic idea of a country. So, do you think, France, US, England, Australia, China, India, Philippine Germany have more religious freedom than Malaysia?
- @Kovu01

Germany, France, US, England, Australia, Philippines for sure. You were the one who started comparing it by saying Malaysia was in top 1% in terms of freedom of religion. That is a falsehood. A few more examples on the lack of religious freedom: Judaism is illegal in Malaysia; so was/is Sky Kingdom - an Islamic sect in Terengganu that was attacked by militants and prosecuted by the government for not adhering to the right type of Islam. These are facts.

You have been here for a year or less, so maybe you should research a bit more before making bold statements that are not substantiated by facts. Over the past 20+ years Malaysia has become increasingly conservative with right-wing nationalists (UMNO) being more bold about Muslim/Malay rights - at the expense of other races and religions. Ask any Indian or Chinese and they will agree with this. As will many Malays living in the big cities. Or ask a Shi'a Muslim for that matter. Because that is also not the right type of Islam here.

[link under review]

Again, besides your statement about religious freedom, you are right about people being nice and Malaysia being a great place to live.

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

#11

Now you are mixing politics and religion and other things under the religious freedom umbrella

If you want to mix all these things, then how free are Muslims to wear hijab in some of these countries you mentioned. Almost on monthly bases a masjid , a church or Sinegal gets attacked in US.

Malaysia did not exterminate the natives like what happened in US and Australia for example or Germany. What are you smoking? Comparing a peaceful loving country who never attacked anyone with the countries you mentioned.

So if I am a Shi'a Muslim I can not practice Islam here that here in Malaysia?

By the way, Christianity has different sects that have differ and don’t accept each other beliefs.

micern Active member

40POSTS

4 years ago

#12

Now you are mixing politics and religion and other things under the religious freedom umbrella
If you want to mix all these things, then how free are Muslims to wear hijab in some of these countries you mentioned. Almost on monthly bases a masjid , a church or Sinegal gets attacked in US.
Malaysia did not exterminate the natives like what happened in US and Australia for example or Germany. What are you smoking? Comparing a peaceful loving country who never attacked anyone with the countries you mentioned.
So if I am a Shi'a Muslim I can not practice Islam here that here in Malaysia?
By the way, Christianity has different sects that have differ and don’t accept each other beliefs.
- @Kovu01

You keep mixing other topics - and you are the one bringing politics into this. If you want to talk about the natives, then google Orang Asli and what happened to them, once Malays became dominant. They are marginalised and the absolute poorest in this country, and the government keeps encroaching on what little they have left. And no, practising Shi'a Islam is not permitted in Malaysia. Thanks to many years of Saudi funding.

You are simply too stupid to be having an online conversation with.

Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

#13

Making a moral equivalence between extermination and being poor is the ultimate stupidity.

To some degree I understand your reaction. Nobody like to be told they have an ugly baby.

and man, do you have one!

fatemzzahra79 Active member

40POSTS

4 years ago

#14

@Kovu01 you're right...lots of misconception and misunderstanding.. a big researcher said that we can say 90% of the current islam got nothing to do with the real islam that is supposed to bring inner peace and encourage prosperity and easiness... Now many Muslims live a weird kind of life thinking it's an obligation from God, while if they jst get back to Qur'an, they'll see that their life style somehow contradicts with it in many aspects, because the man maid religion makes ppl have OCD while they think they're on the right path.

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

4 years ago

#15

when the clock strikes four
Everything stops for tea

Stereotypes are generally a bit crap.

The press and governments push narratives based on political ambitions (read - "who pays them to say it")

There are 2 problems with politics:

A good number of politicians are paid by interest groups to push hate (How do you think the arms industry works?)

Way too many people are stupid enough to believe politicians

If you want to find out about people, go meet them because much of what you read is utter crap.

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

#16

@fatemzzahra79, @Fred: Well put!

Also when it comes to freedom of religion, I feel there is more to it than a country having some laws on the books for such purpose. How well the country adheres and polices such laws are as important. Some people think having such laws is enough to declare a place as haven for religious practice and forget that the most important aspect is whether the people of such country believe in such notion. In US for example, news outlets and politician publicly go on TV and talk B.S about Islam. I have been in Malaysia for a year, and I was here before and I don’t look like Malaysian, but I never one time got harassed about anything, never heard a news outlet and politicians constantly attacking other religions. In France and US , presidential campaigns go their way to make such hostility to Muslims known to gain votes.

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Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

4 years ago

#17

. In US for example, news outlets and politician publicly go on TV and talk B.S about Islam.
- @Kovu01

You may have noticed China is the latest main enemy (add Russia now), so Muslims have dropped down the 'who to hate' list.

Asians have taken over from blacks and Native Americans as the biggest hate crime targets in the US. It's not just a bunch of idiot politicians, it's people who are far too stupid to go out without a trained mental health professional accompanying them who believe politicians.

Trump did a lot to shove hate crime but, odd as it seems, it was Obama's 'let's hate China' push that saved Muslims and put Chinese looking people into the idiots' crosshairs.

Politics is a load of utter rubbish.

Find out about people - you'll find they're all individuals regardless of weight, age, religion, ethnicity, what flavour ice cream they like, or who/what they prefer to have sex with.

Of course that doesn't apply to people who join hate groups. They tend to be triangular white hood fetishists or are just morons in general. That includes the idiot left and their anti-white hate. There are even white lefties with self hate issues.

Left or right wing hate, they share stupidity.

Take a look at this brainless cretin then ask yourself a question - do you really want to share an ideology with an IQ this low?

https://youtu.be/98K42DkM4Nc

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Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

4 years ago

#18

Personally I prefer taking the piss out of stupidity

https://youtu.be/L4h79ExDpg8

https://youtu.be/sQ3owg0jcxo

Enjoy

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Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

4 years ago

#19

One of my favourites ... but wait until the very end or you'll miss the punchline

https://youtu.be/KGeQATtqLLc

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Kovu01 Active member

68POSTS

4 years ago

#20

At a gathering at work during Trump's run for presidency we were talking about the election. One of the co-worker said there are Muslim fighters training camps at the border between US and Mexico out in the open. I said how do you know that, he said everyone knows about it and they are ready to attack the US. I said, if US can attack anywhere in the world why can’t they just destroy these camps specially they are in the open and nearby. He said ah ah, I have a meeting to go to now.

I worked with this person and he was a very smart person. Yet, he couldn't help surrendering to such idiocy and not willing to use simple logic to refute such a story. unfortunately, there are many like this person who were fed garbage at a younger age and it became part of thier psyche.

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