"About applied silat in my daily life, I really cannot explain it. But what I can say is that silat brings me closer to Allah and Islam as my religion and also gives me a deeper understanding as how to live by Islamic morals and ethics. "
Tazkia (full name: Rossticha Anjar Kesuma Tazkia). Chief of Azhar Seni Beladiri branch at Alazhar University Indonesia, and secretary of AYLI (Azhar Youth Leader Institute) speaks to us! 

Last month, I met with Indonesian female silver medalist Tazkia. Here's the transcript of our short conversation. 

Faheem: Assalamu Alaykom Warahmatullah, could you please introduce yourself?
Tazkia: Wa alaykum salam warahmatullah wabarakaatuh. My name is Tazkia, and I come from Indonesia. I was born in Sumbawa (an Island on the west of Indonesia) on the 12th of April 1991. I am 23 yrs old. 

Faheem: When did you get involved in silat?
Tazkia: I started when i was 19 yrs old in 2010 at the Al Azhar Seni Beladiri Silat school. Before this, I have never played any other sports. 


Faheem: Thats very interesting! In terms of silat, did you participate in any competitions. 
Tazkia: Yes, I have participated in about 4 competitions which were regional, state, national and international competitions. 

Faheem: How many medals have you won?
Tazkia: I have 3 medals. In my school competitions I achieved a gold medal for Jurus Tunggal category. I also recieved a bronze in an international competition for the Jurus Wajib (synchronised jurus), and a silver medal for Jurus Tunggal as well. 

Faheem: So could you tell us about the level of training you have to endure for the international competition? 
Tazkia : Of course it isnt easy as you have to train your physique well and also perfect the technique and movements. More importantly when practicing, you have to do your best and repeat each movement at least 1000 times to do it well.

Faheem: Do you actually count those 1000 times when you train? 
Tazkia: Not actually, you have to estimate. In reality if you practice 100 movements daily, how many times would you have repeated it in one month or 3 months? Do not just count till 1000, because you will have to repeat the moves thousands of times. 

Faheem: Could you advise us about the level of commitment and drive you must have for this type of training. Often we find that boredom sets in because students lose focus due to repetition of moves. Some students even feel that they are getting nowhere, so how would you encourage them? 
Tazkia: Silat students should never get bored. Your should push yourself and fight yourself. If you get bored, you will get nothing out of training. Always check with your teacher if your training or movement is improving and be open to correction. 

Faheem: Besides the Jurus Tunggal and Jurus Wajib, which other categories of competition have you participated in? 
Tazkia:  I have participated in sparring (tanding) as well, but I'm not cut out for it as I'm too thin so I should pick up some weight first before trying this out again. But for now, my focus is the Jurus Tunggal. 

Faheem: Which category do you like the most?
Tazkia: I prefer the Jurus (artistic) categories because it represents silat best. The sparring (olahraga) is more a sport and is limited to a strict set of rules and techniques. If you master about 5 techniques you could enter the sparring category but the Jurus is more rich in technique. In the artistic category you have to focus not only on the movements but your expression and feeling or soulfulness as well, and its not limited to 5 techniques but at least 100 techniques. So I'd say I love the seni (art) of silat very much, its real silat. 

Faheem: It seems the more complicated things are a challenge for you. 
Tazkia: Yes indeed!

Faheem: How could you advise pesilats who aspire to enter the Jurus or artistic category. Developing artistic flare and soulfulness as you say is not easy to achieve. How do you develop the Silat Warrior Spirit (semangat)?
Tazkia: Firstly you should be motivated and convinced by yourself. Self motivation and discipline is of utmost importance as it all starts within. Secondly, you should practice slowly and dont rush. Semangat takes time to build so do not rush. Lots of practice makes perfect.

Faheem: For those females who aspire to be good in silat, what are the benefits of silat training which you have experienced? 
Tazkia: Practicing silat is not just a short term thing. Its something you carry with you for the rest of your life. I heard that in South Africa the crime rate is high so silat is especially good for women to protect themselves. Silat is not empty, it has many benefits like health and achievements when you become an athlete. 

Faheem: Would you say there are more men or women doing silat in Indonesia?
Tazkia:  Actually there are more women doing silat over there. You could say the ratio is 4:1. The movements of silat is very suitable for women in terms of its gracefulness, beauty and flexibility so women really like it. 

Faheem: Silat is seen as a holistic and islamic martial art. How have you applied your silat in your daily life especially regarding the spiritual training?
Tazkia:  About applied silat in my daily life, I really cannot explain it. But what I can say is that silat brings me closer to Allah and Islam as my religion and also gives me a deeper understanding as how to live by Islamic morals and ethics. 

Faheem: Terima kasih banyak (thank you very much) and have a safe trip back to Indonesia and may we see you soon Insha Allah. Assalamu alaykom warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh. 
Tazkia: Sama-sama (you're welcome)! wa alaykom salam warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh. 


Article by: Abang Faheem Jackson  

My real turning point came when speaking to one friend about Islam, I was given a book to read, The Choice. Quran and Bible, by the late Ahmad Deedat (MAY ALLAH grant him a high place in Jannah inn sha ALLAH).

In this book he speaks of how Jesus (PBUH) never said he wants to be worshipped and never proclaimed himself as God. The book also explained how the Bible in fact describes the coming of the comforter and the description given in the Bible matches that of our Nabi Muhammad (PBUH). Furthermore, the book highlighted numerous flaws found within the bible. 

After reading this book, I felt relieved, encouraged and excited, I actively sought out other reverts to hear from them about their call to Islam and their experiences. I was then directed to a sheikh who was also a revert to Islam. This was another influential step upon my journey to Islam. I remember the day I met with this Sheikh vividly, in was a stormy winters day and I rode on my then motorcycle to meet this sheikh at his house to discuss Islam. He recited beautiful verses from the holy Quran and explained the meanings thereof, I was in awe, that a revert could recite that well and was so knowledgeable about Islam. He recited about the fetus and how children are conceived and the steps there of, and how the Quran provides evidence of this (Qur'an, 56:57-59) (Qur'an, 75:36-37) (Qur'an, 76:2) (Qur'an, 32:7-8) (Qur'an, 75:37-39) (Qur'an, 96:1-3) (Qur'an, 23:14) (Qur'an, 39:6). As well as how the rain clouds are formed to the specifics (Qur'an, 30:48). As well as the oceans that meet and whose waters never mix (Qur'an, 55:19-20).  This gave me further hope and encouragement that it is possible to revert and become a good Muslim. This added to my hunger to learn more and more about Islam. Most importantly, I finally realized that the Quran was a divinely inspired book. For there is no way that an illiterate man who lived more than a thousand years ago in a remote desert, with no technology could ever have written or known such intricate details on science and biology as described in holy Quran. It is unfathomable.

Humans have only provided scientific evidence of the above natural occurrences less than a mere 100 years ago. ALLAHUAKBR! The following Thursday evening I drove in the cold to the sheikh, and said my kalimaah shahada. ALHAMDULILLAH.

What was your perception of Islam and Muslims prior to reverting?

I must admit, I believed most of the propaganda perpetuated in the media and society. I viewed Muslims in a very stereotypical way, and generalized that most Muslims (besides my friends) were extremists and terrorists or supported terrorists. I remember the day of 9/11, the so called “terror attack” on the twin towers, we were told it was perpetrated by  Muslim terrorists, images displayed on the media, showed Muslims in different parts of the world rejoicing and supporting the attacks. Even here in South Africa, many Muslims were defending the attacks and were fully in support thereof. Again this did very little to improve my opinion of Muslims in general, instead, it made me dislike Islam and what Muslims stand for, however, I was not  aware that that was the thinking of ignorant Muslims to support such an act. Despite all this “negative publicity” Muslims received during this period, I was intrigued to figure out what Islam is about and what it teaches. I was not unique in this respect; events surround 9/11 served as a great catalyst for introducing people to Islam.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?

Worst experience had to be distancing myself from good loyal friends, as I could not hang out with them as I did before, most of the activities and events were not appropriate for a Muslim, for example, going to parties, intermingling between sexes, etc. inevitably, I grew apart from these friends and our relationship slowly died. However, I was meeting new and different Muslims all the time, and quickly made good friends which not only strengthened my Imaan, they taught me about Islam and made me more Deen conscious. However, it took a while before I made genuine friends, initially, I was just invited around from time to time for meals with different Muslim acquaintances, these invites were sporadic and often fleeting and during my first year of being a Muslim, I often was left feeling lonely and isolated having lost my core group of friends and now being the outsider trying to break into the group of Muslim friends. However, as time went on and I met more and more Muslims, I eventually made long lasting friendships, and even gained some family in the process. I would therefore, like to urge our Muslim community to be more inviting to people who revert, as it can be a daunting journey and even if you don’t end up being good friends down the line, at least you would have been there to help them get on their feet for that short while of their new lives.

There are many misconceptions about Islam, one of them is that Islam is a modern religion belonging to Arabs. What is your opinion on this matter and what would you advise non-Muslim readers?

Islam is a way of life. It addresses not only the religious and spiritual aspects of our lives, but also science and socio-political issues amongst others. It is structured and everything has wisdom behind it. The most useful advice I could give, would be to have an open mind, shed all preconceived prejudices you may have about Islam and use social media as a platform, watch youtube videos by Zakir Naik,The Deen Show, Habib Ali Jiffri and see the beauty of Islam. They cover a wide range of great Islamic topics as well as issues pertaining to revert Muslims in general.

How do you see the mosque compared to churches and temples? Do you find any similarities in the role or status of the imam and priests?

I find the mosque to be a place of serenity, peace as well as power, a place where one can just sit and meditate without any disturbances, the beauty of the mosque is the tranquility that it has, the quietness and cleanliness it offers. If I compare the mosque to that of the church, I guess each worshipper will feel the same amount of serenity from their respective house of worship provided that they feel spiritually engaged. The major difference between the mosque and church is that the mosque is open for all Muslims, it is not confined to a specific sect of Islam, and all Muslims are welcome. There is no such thing as in Christianity where you only attend the church to which your specific denomination is affiliated. Furthermore, the mosque is open most of the day.

Another difference that I have found in Islam (this may just be an opinion I have) is that the Imams are much more approachable and more in touch with the community that they serve. I have found that the sheikhs and imams are more straight-forward they speak openly and don’t sugar coat, they are firm when they speak about what is right and what’s wrong, regardless of whether or not what is said hits a sore nerve and the congregation. I didn’t find the clergy of the church to be as approachable and often found that their lectures were often dampened down so as not to “offend” their congregation, particularly when it comes factors regarding lifestyle. In the church there is often a “free-for-all” attitude which is most apparent in the way members dress and behave within the church. This is definitely not the case in the Islam. When we attend the mosque there is a degree of etiquette involved. We dress appropriately and act in a respectful manner.

How did u choose your muslim name?

Before reverting I was speaking to a group of friends, and asking them what would be a nice name once I reverted. We brainstormed the clichés of Sameer, Sulaiman etc, names beginning with "S" as the name my parents have given me was Steven. I always admired the name of one of my favorite cricket players, Amir Sohail (former cricketer for Pakistan),

I looked up the meaning (leader, general) and thought, “wow nice name”.

I then spoke to couple of friends and they said it suited me, and that’s how Ameer came to be.

Are you married?  

On the 15th June 2013 I got married to a lovely Deen conscious lady Laila.

 How did u get involved in Silat? 

I heard sheikh Riyad Walls (imam of Stegman rd masjid, claremont) mentioning it one day on the Mimbar during Jumua announcements, at the time I was a keen runner and never had time, then one day I decided to go check out Silat, practiced in class with Faheem and Muneeb and I was hooked.  

What is your experience of Silat thus far? 

Silat is awesome! As it is not only focused on fighting, but also on self defense and overall exercise. More importantly it has Islam at its very core. For example, you start and end the class off with a duah and recitation of al-fatihah and the 3 khuls.  

Silat pukulan melaka is a malay islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style practice Islam?

That’s a difficult question lol.

I think it’s definitely a more holistic form of martial arts; this is especially true regarding the various techniques involved in Silat. Islamic teachings resonate throughout the sport, for example, one does not view your training partner as an enemy, instead you are there to help and assist with training techniques. We rectify each other and offer advice and even in class we speak allot about Islam and share our knowledge and opinions during training. So it serves as a great forum to share ideas and knowledge.

Silat being practiced in the mosque. What was your reaction when you heard this, and do you find this practical?

It is extremely practical; it keeps one’s head focused on the Almighty at all times. It prevents one from speaking idol talk and stay focused on becoming spiritually and physically stronger.

Do you derive any benefit from Silat training which you can apply in your daily life and activities?

I’m a physiotherapist, which requires me to lift patients daily, my work is physically taxing. I also counsel and have to listen to the patient’s problems on a daily basis, which is emotionally taxing, as many have poor home circumstances. Silat helps me escape for a little while every week so that I can go back to work relaxed, and physically and spiritually stronger. It helps me approach life with a different and more positive view point. Furthermore it helps me feel good, and healthy. I can’t stop speaking about it as I simply just love it.  I wish I was introduced to Silat during my childhood.

 What is your favorite and not so favourite part of Silat training?

My favourite aspect is definitely the self-defense skills learnt, the throws and the overall fitness it provides. I don’t really have a least favourite part of training; I guess my least favourite part is that I don’t always have the luxury of time to attend Silat with my busy schedule. Furthermore, I do find Jurus challenging, but that’s because I am bit lazy and don’t practice as often as I should.

Describe your perfect day.

Spending time with my Wife and having Silat is the added plus.

Final words of encouragement for people interested in islam and silat training?

For people interested in Islam.... Don’t judge the people who practice the

Religion, we are not perfect, but Islam is perfect. And read up before

making comments. Read the books and web sites I suggested, and see that we are not terrorists, it’s a small percentage of people who have hijacked the name of Islam to advance to their own agendas. Making uninformed generalizations about Islam is like someone accusing all catholic people of being colonialists and tyrants after invading the Americas and other lands for their own material gain.

Come for one Silat lesson, and see the beauty of Silat, if you’re looking to get fit then Silat is great, but it has so much more to offer, like self-defense, relaxation. We aren’t competitive with each other, but we compete to better ourselves in class, and we strive to help those in class to improve their skills, something which other martial arts tend to not do. We are a family and when one is weak then the whole family feels that weakness, thus we help each other get strong.

"My worst experience was the fact that I wasn’t accepted by my family and was put out of the house, and this was way before I became a Muslim. My parents found books on Islam in my room and questioned me, and I then already testified that there is only One God who controls everything. My best experience happened at the same moment because I lived at Goodwood Mosque for a year and every night a different member of the community invited me into their homes for supper." ..."despite everything that occurred between my parents and I, we still have great respect for each other and a good understanding. I still visit them from time to time."

Abang Dani'yal tells us about his experience on his journey to truth, the final religion of Islam.

Tell us a bit about yourself, work and family and if you are married?
I am a 27 year old male, I love outdoors, and I am back into gym. I love keeping fit and trying to be active. I am a Structural Draughtsman and I specialize in bridgeworks, I can also do house plans so feel free to enquire about my services that I offer. Family wise, I still have both my parents and I have one sister and a brother in law soon. I am unmarried.

How did you choose your Muslim name?
My name was Dale before. My Muslim name now is Dani’yal. My mom, in actual fact was always going to name me Daniel, but my mother’s cousin chose the name for her son as well. So my name was somehow preserved for the right moment J

What religion were you following before?
I was a New Apostolic Christian, and I was a deacon in the church. The role of a deacon in the New Apostolic Church basically depends on your abilities. The main roles are to do pre-visits to families allocated to your section to prepare them for a family visit by the priest. To also do pre-pastoral care and to find out if everything is ok with the families. You would then report to the priest of your findings. Added abilities would be to be a choir conductor.

What was your perception of Islam and muslims prior to reverting?
I thought that Muslims worshipped the moon because of the crescent sign and the star.

Can you explain what motivated you to revert to Islam?
I was brought up in a well balanced Christian home with strong morals and values. The family I come from are quite staunch in their beliefs and I was the same. Going to Sunday school was an integral part of my childhood and later being confirmed as well. My father is the strength of his home as he is a priest so I grew up following his example as well. I am a technical person and things need to make sense to me on all levels. I basically did research on all religions and found Islam to be pure, free from idolatry and free from paganism on all levels. Also, the fact that all Prophets are perfect in their own respects whereas other Holy books see them as good people then later on committing acts of disbelief and grave sin.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?
My worst experience was the fact that I wasn’t accepted by my family and was put out of the house, and this was way before I became a Muslim. My parents found books on Islam in my room and questioned me, and I then already testified that there is only One God who controls everything. My best experience happened at the same moment because I lived at Goodwood Mosque for a year and every night a different member of the community invited me into their homes for supper. I think it was only after 2 or 3 months that I actually declared being a Muslim. So I was a non Muslim living at the Mosque already. despite everything that occurred between my parents and I, we still have great respect for each other and a good understanding. I still visit them from time to time.

There are many misconceptions about Islam; one of them is that Islam is a modern religion belonging to Arabs... What is your advice and perceptions of this which u could advise any non Muslim readers?
Islam is not a modern religion, Islam is not even a religion, it is a way of life, a code of ethics and deep moral values. Islam simply means “To submit”. Islam is to submit to the One True God and worship Him alone. It is the very same submission that started with Prophet Adam, peace be upon him right up until now.

How do you see the Mosque compared to Churches and Temples? Do you find any similarities u found in the role or status of the imam and priests?
The very first thing you notice is that there is no chairs, therefore sitting on the floor is an adaptation but also a symbol of humility if you could put it that way. There are no relics like in churches and synagogues and not portraits of people like in churches and temples.  There are only writings in Arabic of the names of God and a few other Arabic writings that will pertain to Qur’an verses.

How did u get involved in Silat?
I would always hear about Silat at the Mosque but never really considered it because I thought it was new and ineffective, I also thought that is not like conventional arts, or the ones you mainly hear about like MMA, Karate and Kung Fu. I was completely wrong. The moment I researched Silat, I fell in love with it.

Do you have experience in other Martial Arts?
Yes and no I would say. Yes in the sense that I can say I have 2 years Karate, 3 months MMA, 3 months Ninjutsu and a few months Kung Fu. No in the sense that I have forgotten how to execute all the techniques, or to correctly say that my body is in no state to execute the complex moves I used to do, fortunately that is changing!

What is your experience of Silat thus far and how far do you see yourself taking your Silat training to?
My experience of Silat is incomparable to other arts in the sense that I get full satisfaction out of my lesson. If I enquire about certain moves and how to execute them correctly, special attention is paid to me till I get it right. Also, if I enquire about using any new moves, the whole class benefits immediately and not like in other arts where you get told that you will do it in 3 or 4 months’ time. For me, Silat is a way of life, I am in the comfort of the Masjid and I love the atmosphere. I don’t think that I will leave this art seeing that I have had a taste of other styles. This seems to be the style I would pass onto my children one day, God Willing.

Silat Pukulan Melaka is a Malay Islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style practice Islam?
This style is a Malay Islamic art. It is Malay in the sense that it originated in Malaysia and that there are added Islamic principles in terms of respect and humility where the teacher can benefit from student and vice versa.

Silat being practiced in the mosque. What was your reaction when you heard this, and do you find this practical?
My reaction to this is that I am always in a peaceful surrounding and I always feel at ease and calm, I find it practical in the sense that there is enough space and that my prayers are performed as well.

Do you derive any benefit from Silat training which you can apply in your daily life and activities?
The benefit I derive is humility and respect for the next person, I gain self confidence and most importantly I gain discipline in everything I do.

What is your favourite and not so favourite part of Silat training?
All of the training I benefit from, the only “not so favourite” part for me is that I am not supple enough so the suppleness exercises is what I am working through at the moment and it is something that can only improve.

Describe your perfect day.
My perfect day is waking up at 04:30, getting ready for gym to do cardio then returning home to clean myself up and making Salaah (Muslim prayer) and get ready for work. I listen to Qur’an while going to work as this improves the quality of my day. At lunch time I go for afternoon Salaah to the Mosque then return to work and eat. I return home from work then pray midday Salaah and go to gym for weights session then return home, prepare supper and prayer evening Salaah. Eat then study a bit and perform the night Salaah. Then I normally sleep after.

Final words of encouragement for people interested in Islam and Silat training?
To the non Muslims, Silat is a wonderful art to keep fit as well as to learn. The style is very effective although new to most, it has only been introduced to South Africa recently. It teaches discipline, respect, humility, confidence and self worth among besides the techniques. Many students all over the world are non Muslims. You will find us to be friendly, fun and respectful. I can assure you that you will find Silat most enjoyable.

If you are interested in Islam, then the Sheikh would be the best person to speak to where you will also be given free material about Islam, even a free English Qur’an. You will find him to be respectful and humble and always willing to help.

What was your perception of Islam and Muslims prior to reverting?

I've had no perception of Islam or Muslims prior to reverting. I knew that Muslims went to Mosque
on Fridays which I could never understand. I even raised a challenging question to a present day
friend and colleague during a job interview. 4 years later, I find myself in the same situation which I
questioned not too long ago...

Which religion were you following before?

I was a non-practicing Christian - brought up with the N.G Church teachings.


Can u explain what motivated u to revert to Islam?

I was brought up in a very liberal family with good morals but no religious foundation. Yes, we
went to Sunday school after service (Dutch Reformed Church - N.G Kerk) and learned about all the
prophets of the Old Testament. The focus was more on the prophet Jesus - even though I never
knew much about him, the belief was that you only need faith to enter heaven. That was easy - I
never had to ask questions as all I had to do was belief that you can only enter heaven if you accept
Jesus as your saviour.

We were taught that what happened in the Old Testament was not that relevant and the Gospels in
the Bible were fact.

After I had left school in 1996 my faith washed away as adulthood and the pleasures of this life
seemed more appealing to me. Yes, I still went to church on Easter and Christmas holidays and by
doing those religious acts, it brought fulfilment into my life.

Life passed by and in 2008 (After marriage and during my wife's first pregnancy) I was sent to work
at a customer site for four weeks in Dubai (UAE). The first representation of Islam I witnessed was
that the employees of that company would stop what they were doing and then pray next to their
desks in the most humbling of prayers I've ever seen - putting their foreheads onto the ground.
This was a strange concept and provoked me to ask more questions. This is when I learned about
Allah, Muhammad, The revelation of the Quran, The concept of Trinity and the history thereof,
why there are shower taps in the toilet area, Why they play "Arabic chanting songs/poems" over
the loudspeakers in the marketplace of downtown Dubai (which I later learned was the Athaan),
The paying and earning of interest on money, and many more other observances. Another striking
point that made me pay attention was being Vegan at the time - I asked about Honey and Milk and
Meat (which was quoted in the bible and the Quran) – Being Vegan you can’t eat any of those – yet
God mentions the goodness of these in the Quran and versus in the Bible reports on these as food
sources. This made me think that I’m abstaining from something for the wrong reasons, and why
would God promote it in the Quran.

Before my visit to Dubai, even though I had many Muslim colleagues and friends, I never knew a
single thing about Islam. Not even the 9/11 events made me think about other religions until those
four weeks of my time in Dubai.

I started doing introspection and reflected on my own life as a Christian. One night I was sitting on
the beach at the hotel in Dubai and had dialogue with God - not Jesus or the Holy Spirit as taught in
Christianity - by directly with God. All I asked for was for Him to Guide me in this conflict I found in
myself.

So I had lots of my questions answered, but yet I needed to know more. On my last off weekend I
planned a tourist outing for the day and one of the options was to visit a Mosque - The tour cost
10 Dirham (R20) and I thought that should be interesting and not too expensive, I never knew I was
allowed to enter a mosque and thought this would be a perfect opportunity. The money was for
donation and a good cause – so why not.

Upon entering the mosque it was requested that all women on the tour should cover their hair,
entering the mosque there were Quranic verses playing over an electronic device which sounded

very melodic and tranquil. I felt no scepticism about entering this beautiful building. The carpets
were soft and elegant, a smell of musk in the air, very inviting.

The visit to the mosque included a demonstration of the Islamic praying ritual with transliteration
of all the actions during prayer - The Imam also discussed the basis of Islam in comparison to
Christianity - which answered many of my questions.

After the tour, I pulled the Imam aside as he said he had booklets on what's permissible and non-
permissible in Islam. I was interested in such a booklet so I asked him for one. He said he has none
left and went to the back to give me an English Translation of the Holy Quran.

I could not stay much longer as it was time to leave with the tour bus. Next stop was the
marketplace. I purchased some dates from one of the shops and opened my bag to place the dates
inside and when the shopkeeper noticed the Holy Quran in the bag he asked me if he can take it out.

With much respect he took it out and browsed a few pages, closed it, and kissed it with much
respect before placing it back into the bag. I realised at that point that this religion is well respected
by its followers as nothing I've ever seen before.

I had to make a decision as I realised I was exposed to something very powerful - More powerful
than only having Faith. Islam included Faith and Fact to back it up. I never thought of the my
relationship with my maker in this way, and knew for certain I had to take action on it.

I phoned my wife and informed her of what happened and that I am considering becoming a
Muslim. She never thought I was serious about it - probably another phase I was going through.

One thousand questions later, One month after the trip to Dubai and One Week after my daughter’s
birth, I decided to make my Shahada. I thank Allah for guiding me to the straight path, and Allah
knows best.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?

Best - experiencing Taqwa (God Consciousness) during the month of Ramadan

Worst - Explaining myself to family, friends and Colleagues - announcing my chosen name was
a great challenge - in hindsight a test from Allah, which after some perseverance made me more
confident to have interfaith dialogue with anyone.

There are many misconceptions about Islam; one of them is that Islam is a modern religion
belonging to Arabs. What is your advice and perceptions of this which u could advise any non-
Muslim readers?

One of the first things I was asked by Family was that why do I want to follow a religion that was
meant for only a certain ethnic group.

This made me think for days - I found many Verses and chapters in the Quran on this very topic - I've
concluded that God Created all humans - we are all equal before him except by our piety.

How do you see the mosque compared to churches and temples? And do you find any
similarities you found in the role or status of the imam and priests?

The first noticeable difference between the two would obviously be the lack of chairs in the mosque.
I found that being no issue as I never liked sitting on those hard benches in church.

The total respect and character a Muslim presents in the Mosque stood out for me. You could walk
into any mosque around the world and feel the same "vibe" which to me symbolises unity - Visiting
different churches, there is definitely a different feeling you get at each one. Each church represents
their same message differently. Each mosque represents the same message the same...

At church there is a hierarchy of priesthood which is well structured and respected by the
community. I found the same level of respect in Muslim community with the difference in example
- If the Imam would be ill the day, then anyone most knowledgeable could step up and deliver the
sermon.

Islam is very flexible on that regard.

How did u choose your Muslim name?

I've embraced Islam in the period of Hajj and close to Eid Al-Adha. I was familiar with the story of
Prophet Abraham and found it to be a very solid name.

All my family and 'friends' still call me by my birth name: Etienne (French name)

I take no offence to those as I can't expect them to accept the change I had to make by the will of
Allah. Changing name is not a prerequisite when embracing Islam, but it definitely opens others eyes
to the fact that this person with a new name is making a very strong statement.

I've had many interesting conversations with people whom thought the Ebrahim on the other side of
the phone line is not whom they expected to see in person - and this is some form of Dawah in my
opinion.

Tell us a bit about yourself, work and family. Are u married?

I love the outdoors, enjoy hiking and mountain biking. I am also a keen carpenter and the family’s
local DIY guy.

My wife is my foundation. I've known her since 1994 (We shared the same classroom at school,
but never dated back then) we remained good friends until we got engaged in 2002. We've been
married since 2005. Our family have grown with two siblings.

Mea - she is 4 years old and Aaron - he is 5 months old. (At the time of writing)


How did u get involved in Silat?

I was sitting at Stegman Rd Mosque one Friday and the Imam announced a form of Martial Arts
presented at the Mosque. This was fascinating to me as in Christianity; Martial arts were always
frowned upon. Possibly because you can't have martial art without accepting the spiritual aspect
thereof.

Most Eastern Martial arts have a Taoism/Buddhism spiritual aspect to it.

What is your experience of Silat thus far? Do you have experience in other martial arts? And
how far do you see yourself taking your Silat training to?

I use to do Tai-Chi, it was slow and calming – but not as 100% fulfilling as Silat is to me. When I
started with Silat, the spiritual foundation I discovered is Islam.

This was great as I was not prepared to take on a martial art without having some spiritual
foundation.

I intend to continue with Silat training for as long as Allah spares me. I would like to see my children
learn the art - if not from the school, at least from myself.

Silat Pukulan Melaka is a Malay Islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style
practice Islam?

Training is opened and closed with Dua and reciting the first chapter of the Holy Quran. We also
make salutations on the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) after class.

There are many teachings in Silat which perfectly synchronises with the teachings of the prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) for example: the pesilat should at all times have good character.

Another example is that the best form of Silat in a confrontational situation is to first talk your way
out of it and NOT just attack the person.

Another example is that the pesilat should always have the kalima-e-tayyabah on the tip of their
tongues when in a confrontational situation - because in the end - it is only by the will of Allah that
things happen and turn out the way they are.