Identity is related to a nation’s culture, belief system, and language. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country inhabited by various races and religions. Every year there is a conversion to Islam among non-Muslims on the influence of various factors. It becomes a challenge to certain ethnicities to maintain their identity and build a genuine Muslim personality. This study aims to identify the challenges faced by groups who embrace Islam (muallaf) in building their identity as Muslims. This descriptive study uses an interview method on five important people who are directly involved in the management of muallaf in Malaysia. This study was conducted in five selected zones, namely Kedah (Northern Peninsula Zone), Terengganu (Peninsular East Coast Zone), Selangor (Peninsular West Coast Zone), and Sabah (West Malaysia Zone). The results of the study found that the factors of lack of understanding and appreciation of religious teachings, embracing Islam because of marriage, less moral support from Born-Muslim partner, continuing living in the non-Muslim community, the huge gap with the Muslim community, and difficulty to eliminate old habits are challenges faced by muallaf in building Muslim themselves-identity. This study is important because it provides early information to the relevant institution in Malaysia to take prevention worse, such as apostasy among muallaf.
Adibah, S. @ M., Noorsafuan C. N., & Ezad A. J. (2020). Jati Diri Kanak-Kanak Melayu-Islam Menerusi Pendidikan Awal.
Aimi, W. A., & Najwa, N. H. A. R. (2020). Sokongan Sosial: Satu Keperluan Dalam Pemerkasaan Saudara Baru. Jurnal Pengajian Islam 13 (2), 238-259.
Azarudin, A., Azman, C. M., & Wahairi, M. (2018) Medium Komunikasi Intrapersonal Dalam Dialog Antara Agama Komuniti Saudara Baru. AKADEMIKA, 88 (3) 43-54.
Azarudin, A., Azman, C. M. (2020). Sinkretisme Budaya dalam Kehidupan Baru Komuniti Mualaf. BITARA International Journal of Civilizational Studies and Human Sciences 3 (4), 140-150
Azman, A. R., Nurul, S. N., Nur, Ain S. R., Muhammad, Faiz A. S., & Mohamad, A. Z. (2020). Sorotan Literatur Kajian Penentuan Status Mualaf Kepada Mukalaf Di Malaysia. E-Prosiding Diskusi Syariah dan Undang-undang: Siri 1/2020, 41-45.
Husaini, U., & Purnowo, S.A. (2022). Metodologi Penelitian Sosial (Edisi Ketiga). Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
Kamarulzaman, K., & A’thiroh, N. M. T. A., @ Tan, A. P. (2018). Isu dan Cabaran Saudara Kita di Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak. BITARA International Journal of Civilizational Studies and Human Sciences 3 (2), 28-43.
Kamus Dewan. (2015). Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka
Quraish, M. S. (1998). Membumikan Al-Qur ‘an. Bandung: Mizan.
Najib, M. A. G. (2003). Reka Bentuk Tinjauan Soal Selidik Penyelidikan. Skudai: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Muhammad, R. (2018). Konsep Tarbiyah, Ta’lim dan Ta’din dalam al-Quran. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam 1(1), 37-60.
Zuhidayah, N. M. Z., Muna, W. R. W. M., Shahlan, S., & Jamaludin, B. (2019). Aspek Budaya Melayu Dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Bahasa Melayu Sebagai Bahasa Asing. PENDETA Journal of Malay Language, Education and Literature 10, 121-133.
Diyana, N. A. P., & Berhanundin, A. (2019). Pembinaan Jati Diri Remaja Felda Melalui Aktiviti Dakwah Organisasi Islam. Jurnal Islam & Kemasyarakatan Kontemporari. 18(1): 52-63
Nurzatil, I. A., & Mohd, Y.@ Z. M. Y. (2019). Pembentukan Jati Diri Menurut Perspektif Al-Quran: Analisis Terhadap Kisah Nabi Ibrahim AS. Dalam 5 th International Seminar on Islamiyyat Studies (IRSYAD 2019). 130-138.
Paiz, H., & Mohd, A. R. (2020). ‘Urf In The Interaction Of The Indigenuos People Tradition in Malaysia. Jurnal Islam Dan Masyarakat Kontemporari 21 (2), 170-188.
Rahmad, R. (2018). Konsep Kepribadian Muslim Muhammad Iqbal Perspektif Pendidikan Islam Sebagai Upaya Pengembangan Dan Penguatan Karakter Generasi Milenial. Jurnal Mitra Pendidikan. 2 (7), 711-718.
Zakaria, S., Noranizah, Y., & Abdul, F. S. (2012). Islam Asas Pembentukan Jati Diri Bangsa Melayu-Muslim. Bangi: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor.
Zurina, A., & Adi, Y. A. A. (2020). Peminggiran Tulisan Jawi Sebagai Lambang Jati Diri Melayu: Satu Kajian Tinjauan. Jurnal Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah 7 (2), 244-255.
Rasinah, H. A. (2012). Penerimaan Dan Kefahaman Tentang Islam Dalam Kalangan Masyarakat Dusun dan Murut di Brunei Darussalam. (PhD Thesis, Universiti Malaya).
Suariza, H. M., Raudah, N. S., & Yusmini, M. Y. (2018). Faktor Permohonan Isytihar Murtad dalam Kalangan Mualaf di Selangor. Jurnal Usuluddin, 46(2), 123-146.
In-Text Citation: (Awang et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Awang, A., Mat, A. C., & Ghani, R. A. (2022). Challenges of Muallaf in Building Muslim’s Identity in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(8), 1182– 1193.
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
