How Islamic Is Your Name?

Previously I have written few articles about should Reverted Muslim change their name or not? As stated:

The Myth of "Bin Abdullah" (2011) and Getting Officially Muslim (2013)

This time I would like to share a true story from Reverted Muslim, Sophea Ng who retains her name while registered as ‘Islam’ on Identity Card. Please bear in mind that Islam is a universal religion, it would be unfair to turn someone into ‘Cultural Muslim’ according to Nusantara’s cultural.

Please enjoy this heartwarming and honest story:


Original link : http://sophyng.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-name.html

Assalammualaykum to my dearest readers =)

Ok today.. my blog is regarding my name.

last month I went to collect my identity card from JPN. Alhamdulillah , it was done after such a long process.

Then..suddenly I recall an incident that happened when I was attending a talk regarding Shalat. This talk was registered by my boss from my working place ( All Praise to Allah, my boss sayang me so much and she reserved this ceramah agama seat for me )

So I was searching my name on the attendance sheet…… and I found this :
Sophea Ng bt Abdullah

Hmm…. Since when my father become Abdullah?

Then I took my pen and draw a line on the name, and I wrote my name beside it --- Ng Pooi Kheng.

And then there was a pretty lady ( the person incharged of the attendance ) looked at me with a very unusual eye sight and asked :

“ ni ke nama betul? (Is this your correct name?)”
“ya Cik , ni nama saya.(Yes Miss, that's my name.)” I answered.

“eh.. betul ke ? (eh.. are you sure?)” she asked again.
“ ya Cik.(yes Miss.)” I answered again , with a big wide smile *wink* ,

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Hmmm….. lots people still dunno that it is not compulsory to change the name after someone embrace Islam.

I was once asked by someone :

XX :“ tahniah dah masuk Islam.. nama baru ? (Congratulation that you embraced Islam.. What's your new name?)”
ME : “oh… saya takde nama baru.(oh... I don't have a new name)”

XX : “yang orang lain dok panggil Sophea tu? (Then why everyone else call u Sophea?)”
ME : “ooh tu nama panggilan. Dalam IC tak tukar. (ooh that's just my nickname.My name retained in Identity Card.)”

XX : “ekk apasal pulak? Kena lah tambah bt Abdullah kat belakang.(ekk why? You must put binti Abdullah as your last name.)”
ME : “yea boleh kalau nak tambah BT ABDULLAH.. tapi kalau x tambah pun takpe. Tak wajib.(yes that's permissible to add BT ABDULLAH.. if not add that still fine. Not compulsory.)”

XX : “ ehhh kenalah tambah. Ng Pooi Kheng tu nama orang cina. Dah masuk Islam kena tukar nama , baru lar orang lain tau dah tukar agama.(ehhh you must add that BT ABDULLAH. Ng Pooi Kheing is a chinese name. You must be change your name after embraced Islam, only then we may know that you changed your religion.)”

ME : “ Saya tukar agama , tapi saya tak tukar bangsa.(I have changed my religion, but I haven't change my race.)”

Don’t worry , I answered it in a very nice way and smile of course… *ngeeee*

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Ng is my surname -- 黄 (huang2)
Pooi Kheng is my name -- 佩琼 (pei4 qiong2)
My name roughly means --- fine , nice, good things and happiness.

For me…it might not be an Islamic name. but my name was given by my parents. It is just like the first gift they gave me when I was born. I appreciate my name so much.

And again.. embraced Islam doesn’t mean I turn myself into a Malay or Arabian. Not to be racist, but I am sure all of us are proud of our own blood. Same goes to me. I was a Chinese, and the only thing changed is… I am now a Chinese Muslim ( Allah is the Greatest)

Islam is a peaceful religion, that teach and guide us towards the right pathway.
The beauty of Islam should be seen through our attitude , personality , our life , our heart and our soul…. Not through our name.

But anyway…. You can still call me anyway u like.. depends on how close we are =P

Ng , Angie , Sophea , Sophy , ah kheng , pooi kheng, kheng kheng….et c. hehehe
if we are close enough , no matter how u called me , I will sure recognize you =)

that’s all I want to share.

Chinese is my root ; Islam is my way of life.

forgive me if my sentences offended anyone. Allah knows the Best.

Lots of love
Wa'laykumussalam
Regards,
Sophea Ng, 佩琼。