RIMA Brief – December 2023
Muslim Converts in Singapore
Speakers: Mr. Kaven Siddique Lim and Mr. Edwin Ignatious
Key Takeaways
1. It is apt to not generalise factors behind conversion as converts discover and learn about Islam in different situations.
2. With the blurring of racial and religious lines, the identity of being a convert denotes a different meaning in today’s context that is more acceptable.
3. Although they have embraced a new religion, converts must be allowed and supported to preserve their own unique identity.
4. The usage of language in public religious spaces is relevant to maintain inclusiveness for minority groups within the Muslim community.
5. Activists and organisations must work collectively to improve the support ecosystem for the converts community.
Background
In Singapore, conversions to Islam have been a consistent trend. With an average of 700 conversions annually over the last five years, this indicates that there are factors leading to the persistence of this trend. As religious organisations strive to support these individuals, changing contexts means that their approaches to assist converts have to adapt accordingly. On the other hand, conversion is a challenging phase for individuals as they adapt to new cultural norms, social expectations, and religious practices.
Thus, this discussion seeks to explore the possible factors for the persistent trend of Islamic conversion. It also hopes to understand the personal experiences of converts, as well as the various challenges that they face. It also hopes to discuss about how organisations and practitioners have had to adapt in supporting converts in their new phase as Muslims.
Summary
Muslim converts in Singapore encounter various challenges such as encountering generalisations and misconceptions, while also balancing religious and cultural identities. Balancing dual identities involves navigating religious and cultural obligations that require much support and guidance. The stereotype of converts embracing Islam solely due to relationships is debunked, with personal conviction and global events influencing conversions. Younger generations today are more positive and receptive towards converts due to increased social media exposure and a more open community. However, organisations still face challenges in helping converts due to diverse needs that stem from different contexts.
Challenges that converts undergo as new Muslims
The term converts denote varying meanings depending on individuals and communities. For a Muslim convert, converting into Islam means to embrace a new religion while retaining their cultural identity. Regardless of ethnicity, while there will be some adaptations to practising a new religion, their identity remains the same. This fact is lost upon some individuals, both Muslims and non-Muslims, who opine that converting to Islam leads to embracing a new culture. In the context of Singapore, it is assumed that converts would have to embrace the cultural identity of the majority Muslims, which would be Malays. Edwin opined that this is misleading and there have been efforts to correct this misconception. There must be a separation between race and religion. In Singapore, one assumes that being Muslim means to be Malay. Regarding demographics, a convert can be from any ethnicity, nationality, and gender.
About managing cultural and religious identities, Kaven stated there must be concrete efforts to balance both. Embracing a religion means to adopt certain practices of the majority, and there are complications to separate culture and religion. In the context of Singapore, Chinese Converts would adopt certain Islamic practices that have been influenced by Malay culture. He observed that some Chinese converts would relinquish their racial identity after embracing Islam for the purpose of better integration to the large Muslim community. There are also others who are fearful of adopting cultural elements outside of their ethnicity and losing their cultural identity. There must also be efforts to strike a balance between two conventional identities in society – Malay Muslim and Chinese non-Muslim – as Chinese Converts are neither. An example is to celebrate Chinese cultural festivities such as Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, although there are certain elements that Chinese Muslims are unable to participate due to their religious beliefs.
This is a challenge as converts are a minority and therefore there is not much awareness about their way of life. It needs constant effort to engage and enlighten Muslim and non-Muslims alike about these matters. The challenge also comes from managing the different understandings and expectations of individuals and organisations, such as parents and religious organisations.
Shift in generational attitudes towards Muslim Converts
Edwin shared that attitudes towards conversion have changed positively, mainly due to social media exposure and accessibility to information, which leads to people becoming more open and accepting. The increase in interracial marriages is also a factor in changing perceptions about converts and Islam. In Singapore’s multicultural context, mixed parentage is becoming more common as well.
For Kaven, society has become more open and understanding. This can be seen within the younger generations that are able to separate race and religion. With this, the challenges of young converts are not related to the notions of society about them, as their social circles are of similar outlook. Also, with activism through social media, society has become more aware about the existence and needs of the Muslim converts community. He also observed that there has been increasing support from the Muslim community, with new support groups and increased interest towards the converts community over the past few years. With this comes the potential of providing better support for Muslim Converts. The experience of older converts also helps in guiding new converts in their new phase.
In relation to this, the speakers agree that the current situation differed in the past, where it was rare to find a non-Malay embracing Islam. This led to many difficulties for older converts. For example, a convert that sought to balance between their religious obligations and their cultural identity might not receive support from their family members as they might perceive converts differently after conversion. He notes that this depends on the individual’s context. It would be inaccurate to assume every convert would succeed in balancing their religious and cultural identities.
Main factors behind the persistence of Singapore’s Muslim conversion trend
Edwin observed that there is a misconception about converts embracing Islam purely due to relationships. His work with converts in recent years has dispelled such generalisation. There are diverse reasons for conversions, and his experience is that many converts embrace Islam out of personal convictions. Relationships with Muslims do expose individuals more to Islam, though it would be erroneous to assume that their conversions are not based on personal journeys and convictions.
In addition to this, global events are also reasons for people to learn about Islam which might lead to conversions. During his tenure in MCAS, the September 11th tragedy led many individuals to approach the organisation in hopes of learning more about the religion. This point is a persistent trend, in which global events and tragedies linked to Islam has led to individuals developing an interest to study the religion.
Kaven’s experience in Converts Central indicates that the main factors for conversions are: 1) relationships, 2) personal interest, 3) increased outreach from Islamic organisations. While it is inaccurate to assume conversions only occur due to marriage or relationships, it is part of Islam’s tradition to accept those who do so. Conversion can be a starting point for individuals to study and better understand the religion, with support from other adherents. This point must be better conveyed and communicated to the larger Muslim community, as there are segments who believe it is impermissible to convert solely due to marriage.
Challenges that organisations and practitioners experience in supporting converts
As compared to the past, converts today are better prepared and more knowledgeable about the religion. The main factor for this is the advent of social media and the internet, providing access to wider information and knowledge. However, this has led to the need in guiding converts in being critical about the sources and knowledge they acquire online. The challenge of organisations and activists is to educate converts the importance of taking Singapore’s context into account.
Language is a pertinent issue when it comes to supporting converts. The relevance of the English language is universal for all converts in terms of education and outreach. Edwin observes that not all mosques are adept in engaging with converts that are English-speakers, though they would be supportive in assisting converts. As English is the official working language in Singapore, it is important for religious organisations to be inclusive in their language usage so converts who are non-Malay speakers would be able to engage in the religious output. Over the years, the religious sector has made large strides in accommodating to non-Malay Muslims in terms of language usage in religious public spaces. Although it is hoped that there will be a one common language for Singaporean Muslims to learn and engage with Islam in Singapore.
The challenge for organisations is addressing the misconceptions that revolve around conversion in both the Converts and Muslim communities. One of it would be the need for converts to fully learn the religion before converting, which is a heavy burden upon an individual who is at the start of their religious journey. While another misconception is that conversion would fundamentally change a person, leading to anxiety and concerns from both converts and their loved ones. One misconception that is often mentioned is how conversion might affect a convert’s professional life negatively. Another misconception is the possibility of embracing Islam alone, without needing support from others.
It is imperative for organisations and activists to address these misconceptions that might be barriers for individuals to embrace the religion. One way to do so is by introducing a culture of positive change within the community, perceiving it as an individual responsibility to better society. There must be a distinction between secular volunteerism and religious activism as it shapes the purpose and sincerity of an individual’s actions. This has an impact upon how others will perceive religious activism. To help converts, there must be a strong ecosystem of support, as no single organisation can fulfil the needs of the converts community. The role of each organisation is to bridge each convert to a place that can fulfil their needs as new religious adherents.
Future Areas of Research
As of currently, there has not been substantial research done to analyse the experience of Muslim converts in Singapore. It is important to identify the different phases of a convert’s journey; 1) pre-conversion, 2) conversion, 3) post-conversion. Such a study would be able to identify various aspects of a convert’s experience, be it from the trends and factors that lead to conversion, to the type of assistance they most require after conversion. This would include analysing the challenges that converts face in different context, be it with family members, in their social circles, or in a professional context. These are the gaps that can be addressed by different organisations. Such research can also help improve existing support and services for converts.
About the Speakers
Mr. Kaven Siddique Lim is a Chinese-Muslim who took his Shahadah in 2018. He is the Director of Converts Central, a non-profit society committed to tackling the challenges of New Muslims in Singapore. He has dedicated 4 years to supporting our local Muslims to build a more robust community for New Muslims and has spearheaded numerous inter-religious initiatives aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding towards Islam.
Mr. Edwin Ignatious has contributed towards the betterment of the community through his exposure as a Council Member of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) and participation in several other committees. Given his mixed parentage, he recognises the value of inter-faith harmony and inter-racial cohesion. His participation in the Muslim community affairs has helped to add a different dimension to the Singapore Muslim identity, challenging stereotypes and fostering collaboration with the broader Singapore community.
Click on the link to download the RIMA brief – Muslim Converts in Singapore
Photo by mgstudyo from Getty Images
