Muallaf

‘Why did you decide to become a Muslim?’

This is a question often asked of me. Whenever I visit a mosque or musholla, whenever I avoid food and drink due to fasting, whenever I say ‘Peace be upon you’ to a fellow brother or sister. And you know what? I have never been able to offer a good enough answer. For I would need to talk of pain and heartache, of family and friendship, of laughter and longing. And ultimately, of finding love and acceptance in the heart of Indonesia. Which of course would mean travelling back to the very beginning...