
Today is the hearing of M. Indira Gandhi’s appeal against Muhammad Riduan’s covert conversion in 2009 of their three children without their knowledge and without Indira’s consent. ― Picture by Saw Siow Feng
PUTRAJAYA, Nov 15 — Muslim convert Muhammad Riduan Abdullah’s unilateral conversion of his three children from a Hindu marriage to Islam did not fulfil the requirements of a Perak state Islamic law, the Federal Court heard today.
Lawyer Aston Paiva, who is representing Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi, said there are three requirements that must first be fulfilled before a child can be validly registered as a Muslim convert — namely the conversion application to be made by the child, the child to utter the Muslim affirmation of faith and with written consent of a parent.
Aston highlighted the requirements of the Section 96(1) of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Perak) Enactment 2004, which he said had not been followed in Muhammad Riduan’s conversion of the three Hindu children.
“It is not in dispute that all of these have not been complied with,” he told the court.
Under Section 96(1) of the Perak law, a conversion to Islam is only considered valid if a person utters the Muslim affirmation of faith in Arabic and utters it of their own free will, besides also understanding the meaning of the affirmation of faith. Read more