Carlitos Embraces Islam With Sincere Intentions, PERKIM Welcomes Spanish Engineer’s Conversion

ᵇʸ: ᴹᴼᴴᴰ. ˢʸᴬᴴᴿᴵᴸ ᴿᴼˢᴰᴵ ᴬᴴᴹᴬᴰ ᶻᴬᴴᵁᴰᴵ

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 NOVEMBER 2025 – A serene and blessed atmosphere filled the Headquarters of the Muslim Welfare Organisation Malaysia (PERKIM) National Council on Level 4, PERKIM Building, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah yesterday, as a Spanish national, Carlitos Riveros, 40, (not his real name) embraced Islam by reciting the syahadah in a conversion ceremony witnessed by PERKIM officials and his close acquaintances.

Carlitos arrived accompanied by his girlfriend and the first conversion witness, Tuan Haji Nusral Danir.

Their arrival was warmly received by PERKIM Deputy President, YBhg Dr Haji Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, and National Senior Dakwah Executive, YBhg Dato’ Haji Razali Haji Shahabudin, who welcomed the special guests.

The ceremony began with a conversion briefing delivered in English by PERKIM National Dakwah Executive, Ustaz Sulaiman Ding Yu Zhong, who emphasised the importance of intention as the foundation of the acceptance of worship by Allah.

He explained that embracing Islam must stem from conviction and sincerity, and not from pressure or personal interests such as marriage.

“One cannot be a ‘Muslim only in Malaysia’,” he stressed, explaining that a Muslim must uphold Islamic teachings wherever they may be.

After reciting the syahadah before Ustaz Sulaiman, witnessed by guests and PERKIM representatives, Carlitos received guidance on the essential steps of beginning life as a Muslim, including performing ritual purification (ghusl) and offering the sunnah prayer of gratitude.

Ustaz Sulaiman also explained the pillars of faith, including belief in Allah, angels, revealed scriptures, prophets and messengers, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qada’ and qadar).

He highlighted the differences between the Islamic understanding of angels and Western cultural interpretations, noting that over 124,000 prophets and messengers had been sent since the era of Prophet Adam AS.

According to him, one is truly a Muslim when faith is firmly rooted in the heart, not merely by uttering the syahadah fluently.

Ustaz Sulaiman added that although the term “revert” is often used to describe one’s return to the natural human disposition, there is no issue with using “convert” or “embrace Islam”.

The briefing underscored that Islam is a complete and enduring way of life that must be upheld with full awareness.

Dato’ Razali later led the prayer of gratitude after Carlitos affirmed the declaration of faith.

Speaking in an interview, Carlitos said his decision to embrace Islam was born from a growing spiritual connection to the religion.

He added that he had long practised a healthy lifestyle, refrained from consuming alcohol, and held deep respect for the values behind the Ramadan fast.

Thus, he said, embracing Islam was not a drastic shift but rather an affirmation of principles that were already part of his life.

He also shared that his relationship with his girlfriend, whom he met nearly three years ago in Malaysia, was one of the factors that opened the door for him to learn more about Islam, particularly in preparation for building a household based on religious principles.

Originally from Spain, Carlitos works as a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas sector in Kuala Lumpur.

He has nearly 18 years of experience in commissioning and management roles in several countries including Spain, Saudi Arabia, the Dominican Republic, and most recently Malaysia, where he has been based for the past three and a half years.

He also recalled his three-year experience working in Saudi Arabia, where discussions with Muslim colleagues on religion and life left a deep impact and nurtured his interest in Islam.

After the conversion ceremony, Carlitos, his witness Haji Nusral, and Dr Ridhuan Tee completed the necessary personal documentation and signed the conversion form.

Towards the end of the event, Dr Ridhuan Tee presented a conversion gift bag containing a Qur’an, fardu ain guidebook, Iqra’ book, prayer manual, prayer mat, and other basic learning materials.

Before dispersing, Dr Ridhuan Tee and Dato’ Razali congratulated Carlitos and embraced him warmly, symbolising affection and the welcome of a new brother in faith into the larger Muslim family as he embarks on a new chapter of life.

The event concluded with a photography session and light refreshments, marking the beginning of Carlitos’s journey in learning and embracing Islam with full conviction and awareness.

The PERKIM leadership warmly welcomed Carlitos and his witness, Haji Nusral, upon their arrival at the PERKIM National Headquarters.

Sulaiman Ding recited the declaration of faith (syahadah) in Arabic, which Carlitos repeated word by word.

Ustaz Sulaiman explained the pillars of faith, the concepts of halal and haram, as well as the responsibilities of a Muslim to Carlitos.

Carlitos completed the personal details section of the conversion form.

Carlitos placed his fingerprint on the conversion form.

Haji Nusral filled in his personal particulars and signed the conversion form as the first witness.

Dr Ridhuan Tee signed the conversion form as the second witness.

Dato’ Razali led the prayer of gratitude following the conversion.

Dr Ridhuan Tee embraced Carlitos warmly while offering his congratulations.

Carlitos was also embraced by Dato’ Razali, who whispered words of congratulations and welcomed him to Islam.

Dr Ridhuan Tee presented the MAIS conversion kit to Carlitos while capturing a commemorative photograph.

Dato’ Razali led a short prayer while serving light refreshments to Carlitos and his companions.