Dialogue of Life among Indian Muslim Converts in Malaysia through Participation in Ethnic Community Festivals

Dialogue of life refers to the process of social interaction through engagement, sharing of experiences, and daily relationships between individuals or groups of different religious backgrounds in order to foster mutual understanding, reduce misconceptions, and strengthen social harmony. Therefore, this study seeks to understand the experiences of dialogue of life among Indian Muslim converts after embracing Islam, particularly their involvement with their original families through participation in ethnic community festivals. This study employs a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with seven Indian Muslim converts. The findings reveal that most Indian Muslim converts were introduced to Islam through their early experiences of dialogue of life, which developed through friendships and interactions with Muslim peers. After embracing Islam, their experiences of dialogue of life with non-Muslim family members through participation in ethnic community festivals were carried out within the boundaries prescribed by Islamic law and Islamic creed. Their involvement in these festivals was found to play a role in correcting misconceptions held by their original families towards Islam, strengthening family relationships, and introducing Islamic values, teachings, and the way of life of Muslim communities, which had previously been less understood by non-Muslim communities. This article suggests that religious institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in managing Muslim convert communities in Malaysia should further strengthen the dialogue of life approach as a mechanism for social integration and societal harmony, particularly in relationships among members of the same ethnic group with different religious beliefs.

Indian Muslim converts, dialogue of life, introduction to Islam, family relationships, ethnic community festivals.

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