Experiences of A New Convert                   

There are several procedures that I have to go through. To become a convert, I had to attend courses such as the Beginners' class, Tauhid I and salat classes. I also had to learn the Kalimah Shahadah- which is:

ash-hadu al-laa ilaa-ha il lallah

wa ash-ha-du an-na mu-Ham-ma-dar ra-suu-lul-laah

Once that is learnt, I could go the Convert's Association to apply to become a Muslim. I had chosen my name by then, and it was "Hana" which means happiness in Arabic. Upon the completion of the conversion procedure, I was given a bag full of religious books, prayer gown and mat. I even received a new Quran which is translated into English.

In order to get the green card, which is actually a pass to go on the Hajj, I had to pass a series  of tests on prayers and knowledge of Islam. The prayer test was the most difficult, because I had no basic knowledge of Arabic. Even attending the salt classes were too advanced for me. So I had to learn the verses sentence by sentence. The rakaat was not a real problem, because the movements were simple.

After passing the test, I wanted to insert my Muslim name into my Identity Card, so that at any one time, if there is any accident, I would be handled by the Muslim authorities.

In order to get married, my boyfriend and I had to attend the Marriage guidance course, which is a course designed to lower the rate of divorce among Muslims. It is a 10 week course, lasting 3 hours per week. The whole course at the Converts' association cost us $80. There are even make up sessions for those unable to attend any of the sessions.

In regards on how to take the pressure from families and relatives after conversion, I was relatively lucky that my mother accepted my new religion after some time. She even cooked halal food for my boyfriend and I. My relatives were not closed to the family, although things were rather awkward for my mother. I still remember that at my grandfather's Christian funeral, feeling out of place, because all the verses from the Bible were completely different from the Quran. I stood there while they were singing hymns and focused on thinking "Yah Allah" and mumbling "bismillah-hir-rahman -nir-rahim" to myself.

I guess the only way for acceptance is to let time take its own course. Sooner or later the family has to accept you for what you are. Of course, sometimes, I would feel left out of events, such as birthdays simply because the food is not halal, but I do have the support of my boyfriend and his family which helped to alleviate such depressions.