Felixia Yeap is among the lucky ones

Zurairi AR, Malay Mail Online

Not every person who converts to become a Muslim gets media coverage the way model Felixia Yeap did. Nor do their conversion get chronicled step by step by way of speculation and gossip that came close to being pushy.

Not every Muslim convert gets a reception that included a welcoming message brought up a tower in KL Sentral by a daredevil, nor a congratulatory statement straight from the women’s wing of Islamist party PAS itself.

But then again, not every Muslim convert gets chastised by some in the Muslim community itself for trying out the religion: by first donning the headscarf and covering herself way before she ever attempted to embrace Islam.

Predictably enough, the same demography that chastised her previously was among the first to welcome her eventual conversion. The message here seemed to be: “You have to be one of us, only then can you adopt our values.”

The fickle-mindedness demonstrated here seems to stem from the fact that Yeap is a model who also happens to be Malaysia’s first Playboy Bunny. Here is a prized catch for some in the local Muslim community, a favourite past-time among conspiracy theorists who like to claim famous people as Muslims.

This attitude was once lampooned in the online Jewish magazine Jewcy, which called it “Muslamism.” Back in 2008, the writer Ali Eteraz described Muslamism as such: “It is the belief, dogmatic and secure, unimpeachable and ideological, that all famous people are all covertly Muslim, that all inventions ever made are due to Muslim ingenuity and that all events in the world somehow connect back to Islam — though most of the time we just don’t know how.”

Many Muslims also believe that all men are born Muslims and as they go through their lives they were guided astray by other teachings. Which is why many Muslims would refer to converts as “reverts” instead.

When Michael Jackson died in 2008 — may he forever rest in peace — there were many claims that he was buried as a Muslim named Mikaeel following his move to Bahrain in 2005. The claims argued that after all his brother Jermaine was a Muslim.

Similarly, there was a collective back-patting in the community when staunch Dutch critic of Islam Arnoud van Doorn converted into Islam last year after being involved with anti-Islam far right Party for Freedom (PVV).

So you can just imagine the fanfare when Yeap became the latest inductee, especially since she bore the tag of “Playboy Bunny.” To most, this would indubitably demonstrate Islam’s miracle in transforming a “sinner” into a believer.

(Contrary to popular belief, however, a Bunny is just a waitress at a Playboy Club, of which Yeap reportedly served for a month in Macau. She also had posed only once in the Philippines’ edition of the magazine last year, and not in nude. Which makes her “notoriety” as a Bunny kind of tame, to be honest.)

It remains to be seen if Yeap would finally find peace in Islam and perhaps subsequently a new market for her skill-set. Or whether she would choose the same path as the sometimes obnoxious born-again Muslim women, and end up being token speakers in PAS’ rallies or joining unity councils.

Lucky for Yeap though, she has the chance to embrace Islam out of her own volition and because she recognised its purported beauty. Not many Muslims here can say they had the same opportunity, as they were born into Islam instead — their choice made for them way before they can even utter a word, or even gulp their first breath of air.

For many Muslims, the faith that Yeap finds beautiful is mostly routine drilled into themselves from rote learning and repetition ever since they were small.

For them, instead of discovery, their faith was instead reinforced by years in the education system, and later when they grow up, through enforcement by religious authorities and the moral police.

Some, having gone through trials and tribulations, and enlightenment, find Islam again. Finally confident of their own choice, they are at peace with their faith.

For most though, their faith remains inconsequential, just an identity they cling on to as they head to death.

Similarly, there will be no congratulations and welcome should a Malay find her way to God through a different path. Even if this is not already banned by force, the stigma itself will push her into the fringes of society, not into jubilant headlines.

There is joy and cheer when a new brother or sister joins the faith. It is as if they have joined the ethnic community itself, as evidenced in the old Malay term for converting into Islam — “masuk Melayu” — which literally means converting into a Malay.

There is, however, no understanding offered to those already in the community who decide to leave the faith, either into another or abandoning any gods altogether. For them, there is only threats of violence, disowning, rejection, persecution and prosecution.

These people, they made their choice to believe just like Yeap. Unlike Yeap, they would not be as lucky.