Sixteen Filipinos converted to Islam at the headquarters of Princess Al-Anood Philanthropic Foundation in Riyadh on Sunday. The new converts pronounced the Shahada testimony before Prince Saud bin Fahd, declaring: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.”
Prince Saud, who is the foundation’s vice president and executive committee president, officiated the ceremony. The 16 Filipinos pronounced the testimony together after him.
The foundation's Secretary-General Youssef bin Othman Al-Huzaim and a number of scholars belonging to the Al-Batha Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance were among those present.
As many as 28,000 expatriates converted to Islam at the Batha center, which gets support from Princess Al-Anood Philanthropic Foundation, with 80 of them in the first 10 days of this blessed month, according to information provided to Arab News.
Speaking on the occasion, Prince Saud said: “It was really a great pleasure to be here at this evening to witness this event. Last year, I witnessed some of your colleagues who became Muslim. I would like to tell you that your decision today to embrace Islam is really the best in your life.”
He observed: “Choosing the right religion is very important. I think our colleagues here have explained to you many things about Islam — its greatness, its simplicity, and also it being the last religion that God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. (peace be upon him)
“We, as Muslims, do love and respect all the other prophets of God and the messages that were revealed to them by God throughout the history of mankind. They came in stages, with Islam marking the end of the divine revelation. Hopefully, by learning more about Islam, you will understand the many great things in it. I think the greatest of it is that it can be adopted at all times and places by societies. It is a very flexible religion,” he said.
The prince congratulated everybody present at the ceremony, including non-Muslims. “If they study it more and understand it, I am sure they will also become Muslim in the future.”
Speaking with words of encouragement, he told the converts they had made the right decision. “I think all of us should learn every day more about the teachings of Islam. We should learn how to worship God alone, how to pray and fast, and learn about all the principles of Islam.”
The prince said he was sure his friends in Al-Batha would do their best to explain the new Muslims everything about Islam. He added: “It is very important that once you learned it, you explain it to others, including your families and friends close to you. I wish you the best of luck.”
Speaking on his part, the head of the Batha center, Sheikh Noor Nasser Ibrahim, expressed his gratitude for the continuous support of the Al-Anood Foundation. “At the outset, I would like to thank Prince Saud bin Fahd for receiving the new Muslims, who pronounced before him their embracing Islam.
“We thank also the Princess Al-Anood Philanthropic Foundation for its noble effort in supporting our activities in general. Of course, the Batha Center for Call and Guidance is one of the first centers that was founded in Saudi Arabia based on the Royal Decree issued in 1988, which authorized qualified centers to invite foreign workforce to the religion.
Talking about convincing foreigners to convert to Islam, he said there are many means for reaching out to them, such as pamphlets, books, and various “dawa” (work) programs including organizing sports and educational competitions.
He explained that the starting point of this exercise was good manners in dealing with non-Muslims, especially by sponsors and Muslim colleagues of the foreigners.
Asked why so many of the new entrants were from the Philippines, the Sheikh said that many parts of the country are still upholding the Islamic identity. The capital of the country, Manila, was once known as Amanullah, he said, which explains the origin of the Philippines and its historical link with Muslims. “We don't call those new entrants as new Muslims, but as reverts to Islam.”
One of the reverts from Cavite, Philippines, explained what attracted him about Islam while living in Saudi Arabia, saying that people here are closer and more devoted to their religious duties. They treat people alike regardless of their country of origin and their faith affiliation.
The Batha center seeks to invite people coming from non-Muslim countries to Islam and inform them about it. The head of the center said he wanted to strengthen the connections between born and new Muslims. He stressed the importance of continuous care for converts and directing them to reliable Islamic associations and centers when they return to their country.
To achieve its objectives, the center organizes Qur’an classes and teaches basic principles of Islam and Arabic to newly entrants in Islam. It also gives lectures in different languages, arranges Haj and Umrah trips, and translates Islamic books and tapes.