Izah Azahari
Holding back tears of joy as she uttered the Syahadah (Islamic declaration of faith), Filipina Luvelyn Fuentes Maganda chose her Muslim name Lulu Ammarah Maganda binti Abdullah during a conversion ceremony at the Islamic Da’wah Centre yesterday.
Present to witness the conversion were Islamic Da’wah Centre officers as well as Lulu Ammarah’s friends and colleagues.
Since her arrival in the Sultanate in 2010, Lulu Ammarah has made friends through playing softball.
Witnessing the importance of their faith to Allah the Almighty as well as how the Islam has brought her friends up to place importance on their own families opened her heart to learning more about the religion.
“The realisation to learn more was sudden for me, and that opened up my heart to converting,” said Lulu.
“I like how most of my friends prioritise their families and how they help others in need without expecting anything in return through the religion.”
She expressed her excitement over converting, and one thing that she is certain of is the faith in Allah the Almighty is something she cannot explain in words.
“I feel at ease and there’s peace in the religion for me. Most of my friends are very supportive of my decision to convert,” she said.