In the case of Christian converts to Islam in the Philippines, religious conversion does not always involve a complete transformation or separation from previous religious and social ties, a recent study finds. The research by Asuna Yoshizawa (Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan), published in Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations (online December 13), consisted of participant observations and in-depth interviews to examine the experiences of Balik-Islam individuals (Christian converts to Islam) in Iligan City in the southern Philippines, with a focus on their everyday religious practices and relationships with Christians. Yoshizawa does not claim that the findings necessarily apply to all Balik-Islam communities in the Philippines, but that they do provide useful insights about what the complexity of conversion can be. The Balik-Islam movement began in the 1970s and has grown steadily since then, comprising an estimated 220,000 individuals as of 2011. It is reported to have continued growing, although it remains a minority group among Muslims. The Philippines’ population numbers around 115 million people, with Christians comprising approximately 90 percent, and most Muslims, who make up 5 percent of the population, are born into the religion. Yoshizawa describes what looks like a population of seekers.
A Filipino Muslim man (source: SIM Central and South East Asia | Flickr).
She found the main factor driving conversion to Islam among Balik-Islam individuals to be the search for a “true religion” that provides salvation. Overseas work experience in Muslim countries, marriage to Muslims, and influence from Muslim friends and employers were also found to be factors. Many converts had previously moved between different Christian denominations before converting to Islam. According to Yoshizawa, “conversion from one religion to another is relatively common in the Philippines; it is not rare for people to experience conversion several times in their life.” There is also a form of Islamic missionary work (da‘wa) which aims to make Islam accessible and understandable to Christians and emphasizes continuity between Christianity and Islam rather than stark differences, using Christian concepts and biblical references to legitimize Islam.
While converting to Islam by saying the shahada is relatively straightforward, maintaining Islamic practices can prove challenging, with converts navigating complex relationships with Christian family members. Close to Muslim-majority areas, Iligan City offers a mixed environment, with Catholics as well as a wide variety of Christian denominations living side by side with Muslims, and such a setting is conducive to more fluid religious boundaries. There is also less influence from the Middle East than in the capital, Manila, where some Muslims, moreover, live in separate residential communities. Many converts struggle with daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, Islamic dress codes, and other requirements. Mixed religious rituals (like funerals) sometimes occur due to family pressure. Some converts stop practicing and are called “Balik-Christian” (returnees to Christianity, temporarily or permanently). Yoshizawa’s study contributes to understanding the various shades of conversion by illustrating how it can involve ongoing negotiation between religious beliefs and social relationships, with religious change being a continuing journey. Religious boundaries sometimes appear more fluid and gradual than absolute. Her concept of conversion as a “winding pathway” offers a new framework for understanding religious change.
(Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cicm20)
