H
earing prospective new brothers and sisters recite the shahada, signifying their acceptance of Islam, is a great blessing for Lukman Shamsul Bahrin, and at that very moment, the “price” of the many challenges he has faced while carrying out missionary work among the Orang Asli feels fully repaid.
For about the past six months, Lukman, 34, has been steadfastly spreading the teachings of Islam in three Orang Asli villages in the Kuala Kangsar district, braving various risks to reach his destinations, including natural disasters and encounters with wild animals.
“I have worked in various fields before, but my heart has always been drawn to this kind of work. Since childhood, I was exposed to religious talks by my father, who took me to lectures in many places.
“However, I do not have the ability to give sermons like my father, so I joined the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) as a mubaligh (missionary) assistant to carry out dakwah work directly in the field,” he said when met by Bernama recently.
In spreading the message of Islam to the Orang Asli community, a preacher must first establish a good relationship with them and build deep trust.
Currently serving in the JAIPk Dakwah Division, particularly at the Kuala Kangsar District Islamic Religious Administration Office, Lukman is responsible for overseeing Kampung Jei, Kampung Cheut and Kampung Kuala Legap, home to about 500 residents from the Temiar tribe.
According to him, most residents in the area do not practise any organised religion and instead follow animistic beliefs. However, over the past five months, he has successfully encouraged more than 40 individuals to embrace Islam.
BUILDING TRUST
Elaborating further, Lukman said that in spreading Islamic teachings among the Orang Asli community, a preacher must first build good relationships and establish trust.
“We do not immediately introduce Islam to them. We must first get to know them. I approach them as their brother — asking about their daily lives, understanding their hardships, and engaging in their everyday activities. Once they feel comfortable, I begin to discuss the importance of religion and how humans need religion as a path to knowing God.
After converting to Islam, the welfare of new brothers is taken care of by JAIPk, especially in terms of knowledge acquisition.
“In addition to explaining that humans are created with an innate inclination towards religion, I encourage them to reflect on how life feels incomplete without religion. Many of them practise animism or have no religion at all. I also explain that in Islam, we uphold the concept of brotherhood — there are no castes, regardless of race, wealth or poverty,” said Lukman, who hails from Simpang Pulai.
Asked how long it takes to soften the hearts of the community towards Islam, the father of one said: “Guidance belongs to Allah. There is no time frame to determine when someone will embrace Islam.”
WELFARE TAKEN CARE OF
Lukman added that after embracing Islam, the welfare of new converts is taken care of by JAIPk, particularly in terms of religious education through fardu ain classes conducted in their respective villages by Penggerak Masyarakat Orang Asli /Orang Asli Community Mobilisers (PMOA) or mubarak.
“This makes it easier for new converts to learn fardu ain and practise Islam properly. The mubarak is also responsible for looking after their welfare. Many forms of assistance and facilities are provided by JAIPk and the Perak Islamic Religious Council (MAIPk) specifically for Orang Asli who embrace Islam,” he said.
There is usually no problem for them to live with a non-Muslim family as long as there is no conflict.
He also explained that after converting to Islam, there are generally no issues for new converts to continue living with non-Muslim family members as long as no conflict arises.
“New converts should maintain good relations with their family members, as that is encouraged in Islam, provided it does not conflict with Islamic law,” he stressed, adding that certain aspects such as separate cooking utensils and prayer spaces should be arranged by the new converts.
Meanwhile, the demands of his duties require Lukman to work almost daily, including weekends and public holidays, as his responsibilities extend beyond dakwah to other matters involving Muslims in the villages.
“If there are urgent matters such as residents wishing to recite the shahada, deaths or marriages, I will go there even on weekends or public holidays,” he said.
As for challenges, he described his routine missionary work in the interior Orang Asli villages of Sungai Siput as “a mission full of danger”, due to narrow jungle paths, fallen trees, landslides and encounters with wild animals such as elephants and tigers.
“There were several occasions when journeys had to be halted due to fallen trees and landslides after heavy rain,” he shared, adding that he often carries out his work alone and sometimes stays overnight in the villages.
PREACHING WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
Dakwah efforts are not limited to outsiders, as some Orang Asli themselves are also actively spreading Islamic teachings within their own community. Among them is Alang Iman, or by his Islamic name Nur Islam, 28, who embraced Islam at the age of 19.
“My interest in Islam began after experiencing several dreams that left a deep impression on me.
“Among them were dreams about the destruction of the earth, the Day of Judgement, and houses being destroyed, some of which occurred repeatedly. I regard these as guidance from Allah SWT,” he said.
Alang, who hails from Pos Legap, said that for now, he is the only one in his family who has embraced Islam.
“Even so, my father has been very supportive and advised me not to take this lightly and to truly deepen my understanding of the religion,” he added.
A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Meanwhile, State Rural Development, Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun said the dakwah efforts carried out by JAIPk have been well received by the Orang Asli community in Perak.
He said that as a result of structured missionary efforts, more Orang Asli are embracing Islam.
Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun.
“The welfare of new converts is safeguarded through state government planning coordinated with MAIPk and JAIPk as the main Islamic authorities in Perak.
“These new converts will be fully guided by the JAIPk Dakwah Division. They will also attend a special three-day, two-night Islamic appreciation course at a hotel determined by the department,” he said.
According to JAIPk, organised dakwah efforts among the Orang Asli began in the 1980s with the establishment of a Dakwah Unit focusing specifically on minority communities, including the Orang Asli.
“Prior to that, Orang Asli welfare and development matters were largely handled by the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (JHEOA), now known as the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA).
“Entering the 1990s, coordination between JAIPk and JAKOA became more closely aligned. During this phase, PMOA was introduced to ensure that fardu ain guidance and Islamic teachings were carried out consistently in interior Orang Asli villages in Perak, such as Gerik, Hulu Perak and Kuala Kangsar,” the department said.
More structured and one-stop efforts were implemented through the establishment of the Dakwah Division, which is fully responsible for conversions, registration management and documentation of new converts; safeguarding their welfare through living assistance and education for Orang Asli converts; and conducting religious guidance classes as well as building surau or community centres in Orang Asli villages.
At a glance, Perak is the second-largest state after Pahang in terms of Orang Asli population in Peninsular Malaysia. Official Perak state government data as of November 2024 recorded 61,589 Orang Asli living in 257 villages across several districts, including Batang Padang, Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar and Kinta.
The majority of Orang Asli in the state belong to the Senoi, Semai, Temiar, Negrito, Lanoh, Kensiu, Kintaq and Jahai tribes, as well as a small number of Proto-Malay groups found in southern Perak bordering Selangor.
