Monday, March 16, 2009

MalaysianInsider: Convert allowed to renounce Islam

Convert allowed to renounce Islam
GEORGETOWN, March 16 – A Malaysian religious appeal court in Penang on Monday granted a woman’s wish to formally renounce Islam, in a rare case where Muslims are allowed to leave the faith.

Siti Fatimah, an ethnic Chinese woman formerly known as Tan Ean Huang, had converted to Islam in 1998 in order to marry her Muslim lover. In Malaysia, a majority Muslim country, non-Muslims must convert to Islam before they can legally marry a Muslim.

“It is clear from the evidence that she converted to Islam just for the sake of marrying an Iranian man,” Penang Syariah Appeal Court judge Ibrahim Lembut said in his ruling.

“She has never followed any aspect of the Islamic teachings and has been living a non-Muslim lifestyle right from the day of her conversion. This shows the conversion itself is doubtful,” he said....

Read report at http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/20484-convert-allowed-to-renounce-islam

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