The Narratives of Muslim Converts on Their Conversion Experiences through the Perkampungan Baru Islam Project (PBI) in Rural Sarawak

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-338-2_22How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Conversion Experiences; Revert Da’wah; New Islamic Village Project (PBI); Harakah Islamiah (HIKMAH); Sarawak

ABSTRACT

This study aims to analyze the scenario of conversion to Islam among reverts in the rural areas of Sarawak through the New Islamic Village Project (PBI). This project is managed by the largest Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Sarawak, the Islamic Awakening Organization (HIKMAH). The primary focus of this study is to understand the process of recognizing Islam, the factors influencing conversion, and the effects of change following the conversion of the community of converts in these villages. A total of 10 participants were selected for interviews from two PBI cluster villages: the Dar al-Islam Village in Kg Belimbing and the Sanah Rayang Village in the Serian district of Sarawak. All participants were interviewed using a structured approach through Focus Group Discussions (FGD). The interview data were analyzed thematically and presented descriptively to examine the patterns and frequencies of the subthemes identified. The analysis results show that the conversion process in PBI Sarawak involves various da'wah strategies tailored to the cultural and socioeconomic context of the local community. This scenario is observed through the contributions and strategic synergy of scholars, HIKMAH preachers, and Muslim leaders in Sarawak in the conversion process in rural areas. The project has successfully enhanced the understanding and practice of Islam and has driven significant changes, including improvements in well-being related to education, family dynamics, social interactions with non-Muslim families, and the local community's economy. This study provides a broader spectrum in addressing the dynamics of conversion in rural Sarawak and suggests that a holistic approach, along with an understanding of local cultural sensitivities, should continue to be applied in future da'wah efforts.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Mohd Basir
AU  - Nur Tan Abdullah
AU  - Tan Ai Pao
AU  - Fariza Sham
AU  - Isdawati Ismail
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/31
TI  - The Narratives of Muslim Converts on Their Conversion Experiences through the Perkampungan Baru Islam Project (PBI) in Rural Sarawak
BT  - Proceedings of the UPY-ICCCM International Conference on Education and Social Science (UPINCESS 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 159
EP  - 182
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-338-2_22
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-338-2_22
ID  - Basir2024
ER  -